Davis to take on champion in next round
Steve Davis set up an appetising second-round encounter with title-holder Shaun Murphy by completing a 10-4 win against Andy Hicks tonight.
It was a largely convincing display by the six-times winner, who was runner-up at this season’s UK Championship, although the final frame lasted 51 minutes and featured 34 points in fouls.
“I quite enjoyed it,” said the 48-year-old. “I was even able to laugh at some of the shots I missed and the crowd were laughing too.”
“It was a bizarre match and in the end I just had to play tactically well to win.
“Now I’m looking forward to playing Shaun. I love the way he plays but I would love to turn him over and I fancy my chances because I will go in there and play aggressively.”
Stephen Lee rediscovered his form at just the right time to go through 10-8 against Ali Carter.
The 31-year-old, winner of the Welsh Open last month, let slip a 7-3 lead and trailed 8-7 before reeling off three consecutive frames.
In probably the most attractive first-round tie, 1997 champion Ken Doherty rendered the opening session incredibly one-sided as he took an 8-1 lead over rising star Barry Hawkins.
The Irishman did not need to do anything spectacular as Hawkins, on his Crucible debut, failed to produce the form that has provisionally lifted him into the top 10 of next season’s rankings.
John Parrott made what could be his final World Championship farewell as a player when he lost 10-3 to Graeme Dott.
The 1991 champion is a shadow of the competitor he was and with his ranking for next season likely to be in the 40s, he will need to win two qualifying matches to book a place in Sheffield again.
“The day before I came here I practised for two hours and never missed a ball, but in the match I could hardly pot one,” said the 41-year-old former Question of Sport captain. “I was never in control of what I was doing and never got off the ground.
“But I will keep playing next season. My ranking won’t be too bad and I’ll dust the cue off because I still love to play and compete.”
Fourth seed Stephen Maguire will take a 6-3 advantage over Mark King into tomorrow’s conclusion, the Scot having recorded a half-century break in each of the last four frames.
