WATCH LIVE: Snooker champ Evans faces Doherty in bid to be first woman at World Championships

Reanne Evans remained firmly in contention after the first session of her World Championship qualifying match against Ken Doherty in Sheffield.

Evans, bidding to become the first woman ever to qualify for the tournament’s main draw, trailed the 1997 champion 5-4 ahead of this evening’s resumption at Ponds Forge.

Doherty won the first frame with the aid of a 45 break but Evans then reeled off three in succession before the interval, including a 51 break in frame four.

Doherty levelled with breaks of 51 and 64 but Evans nervelessly cleared from the final red to the pink in frame seven to lead once more.

She showed off her ambidextrous potting skills in frame eight, dropping in a tricky left-handed red along a cushion, but she was unable to overcome a 65-point deficit and Doherty moved to 4-4 before also winning the next frame.

Watch the closing frames live here from 7pm.