Hendry holds his nerve

Six-time winner Stephen Hendry avoided rewriting the record books for all the wrong reasons at the SAGA Insurance Masters this afternoon.

The Scot came close to becoming the first person to ever lose a Masters match having led 5-0.

In a final-frame decider with Welshman Matthew Stevens, the determined 38-year-old held his frayed nerves.

It meant he deservedly booked a showdown with either five-time winner Steve Davis or 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy in this year’s quarter-finals on Friday.

Hendry, who eventually triumphed 6-5 at the Wembley Arena, said: “I would have been disappointed to lose, but from 5-0 to 5-5 I had precious little to play at. Matthew played so well.

“I said to Matthew after that I wouldn’t have been gutted to lose that match the way he played.

“He made two centuries, some great breaks and there’s nothing you can do against that.

“He turned into a different player at 5-0. I couldn’t get to the table. It’s hard to play well when you’re not at the table. It’s as simple as that.”

Hendry was the better starter and raced into a commanding 5-0 lead.

The seven-time world champion won a scrappy opening frame and then pinched the second frame after Stevens had made a 50 break. A 64 run secured the third frame, before an 80 break made it 4-0.

It was soon 5-0 thanks to a 76 run. Then Stevens staged his comeback.

Hendry continued: ”My first chance came at 5-3, which I made a mess of, and my next chance came at 5-4 and I missed a chance to pinch it.

“I was just delighted to get a couple of decent chances in the last frame. I had a pretty decent 40-odd break to win and the balls went perfect.”

Stevens was disappointed not to have edged his way into the last eight, but took plenty of positives despite his deciding-frame defeat.

The world number 14, a World Championship runner-up in 2005, compiled breaks of 103, 88, 103 and 61 to leave last month’s Maplin UK Championship runner-up rooted to his seat at the 4,500 capacity arena.

However, with his back against the wall and facing the first 5-0 comeback in Masters history, the gutsy Perthshire potter survived to fight another day.

Stevens said: “I played well for an hour and I felt if I got one good chance in the last frame I’d have made a break in the last frame.

“I’m obviously disappointed, but I feel good about the way I’m playing. I put him under pressure. He missed one or two balls and it could have gone either way.

“I can take some consolation with the way I played. It gives me hope for the rest of the season.”