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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Ebdon beats Hendry to join elite | Ebdon beats Hendry to join elite |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Peter Ebdon joined an elite band of players to have won both the UK Championship and the world title with a 10-6 win over Stephen Hendry in York. | Peter Ebdon joined an elite band of players to have won both the UK Championship and the world title with a 10-6 win over Stephen Hendry in York. |
| The pair were locked at 4-4 after their opening session but Ebdon, 36, won the first four frames of the evening. | The pair were locked at 4-4 after their opening session but Ebdon, 36, won the first four frames of the evening. |
| Hendry, whose form had disintegrated alarmingly, roused himself to close to 8-6 with a stirring break of 116. | Hendry, whose form had disintegrated alarmingly, roused himself to close to 8-6 with a stirring break of 116. |
| But Ebdon, world champion in 2002, held his nerve and runs of 43, and a 70 in the last frame, sealed victory. | But Ebdon, world champion in 2002, held his nerve and runs of 43, and a 70 in the last frame, sealed victory. |
| onClick="javascript:launchAVConsoleStory('6189935'); return false;" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/video_and_audio/help_guide/4304501.stm">Highlights: Ebdon secures UK Championship title | |
| In doing so he became only the ninth player - joining Steve Davis, Terry Griffiths, Alex Higgins, John Parrott, Hendry, John Higgins, Mark Williams and Ronnie O'Sullivan - to win snooker's two most prestigious titles. | In doing so he became only the ninth player - joining Steve Davis, Terry Griffiths, Alex Higgins, John Parrott, Hendry, John Higgins, Mark Williams and Ronnie O'Sullivan - to win snooker's two most prestigious titles. |
| "There are so many great players to have won both - it means so much to me to join that select group," Ebdon said. | "There are so many great players to have won both - it means so much to me to join that select group," Ebdon said. |
| Peter was by far the better player Stephen Hendry "I am just absolutely over the moon. I worked ever so hard for this tournament, and I've had so many tough matches. | Peter was by far the better player Stephen Hendry "I am just absolutely over the moon. I worked ever so hard for this tournament, and I've had so many tough matches. |
| "The final just went a bit funny and we both started missing balls, but there's a lot of pressure out there. | "The final just went a bit funny and we both started missing balls, but there's a lot of pressure out there. |
| "I'm just so proud for everyone back home in Dubai. My wife Deborah and the children were watching at home on the BBC via the internet - this one's for them." | "I'm just so proud for everyone back home in Dubai. My wife Deborah and the children were watching at home on the BBC via the internet - this one's for them." |
| Hendry, chasing a record-equalling sixth UK title, was fortunate to be leading 3-1 early on, but Ebdon hit back with breaks of 60, 83 and a superb clearance of 135 to go 4-3 up. | Hendry, chasing a record-equalling sixth UK title, was fortunate to be leading 3-1 early on, but Ebdon hit back with breaks of 60, 83 and a superb clearance of 135 to go 4-3 up. |
| It should have been 5-3, but Ebdon missed an ambitious attempt at a double to allow Hendry to draw level a the conclusion of the opening session. | It should have been 5-3, but Ebdon missed an ambitious attempt at a double to allow Hendry to draw level a the conclusion of the opening session. |
| Both players appeared nervous on the resumption, Ebdon taking a scrappy frame to go 5-4 up and then winning the next three as Hendry's game deserted him. | Both players appeared nervous on the resumption, Ebdon taking a scrappy frame to go 5-4 up and then winning the next three as Hendry's game deserted him. |
| The Scot seemed to lose control of his cueing action, muttering to himself and shaking his head in disbelief at a series of missed chances. | The Scot seemed to lose control of his cueing action, muttering to himself and shaking his head in disbelief at a series of missed chances. |
| Hendry stuttered at a crucial time"I picked the one day of the week when I didn't want to play like that," he said afterwards. | Hendry stuttered at a crucial time"I picked the one day of the week when I didn't want to play like that," he said afterwards. |
| "I had a great chance to go 4-1 up but from then on Peter was by far the better player and dominated the match. | "I had a great chance to go 4-1 up but from then on Peter was by far the better player and dominated the match. |
| "For some reason I couldn't pot a long ball - sometimes that just happens. Peter didn't play as well as he can either. We've both had better matches." | "For some reason I couldn't pot a long ball - sometimes that just happens. Peter didn't play as well as he can either. We've both had better matches." |
| Hendry had won 14 of their previous 18 meetings, and each of Ebdon's four victories - including his 18-17 win in the 2002 world final - had come in final-frame deciders. | Hendry had won 14 of their previous 18 meetings, and each of Ebdon's four victories - including his 18-17 win in the 2002 world final - had come in final-frame deciders. |
| Hendry suggested he might make it a similarly tight finish when he won the 13th frame, after several misses, and then showed his class with a break of 116 - his only century of the match - to narrow the gap to 8-6. | Hendry suggested he might make it a similarly tight finish when he won the 13th frame, after several misses, and then showed his class with a break of 116 - his only century of the match - to narrow the gap to 8-6. |
| But he missed a good early opening in the next, and a run of 43 took Ebdon to the brink of victory. | But he missed a good early opening in the next, and a run of 43 took Ebdon to the brink of victory. |
| The Dubai resident made no mistake in the next, a confident break of 70 sealing his seventh ranking tournament victory. | The Dubai resident made no mistake in the next, a confident break of 70 sealing his seventh ranking tournament victory. |
| His last came in the Irish Masters in 2004, while Hendry is still chasing his first title since the Malta Cup in February 2005. | His last came in the Irish Masters in 2004, while Hendry is still chasing his first title since the Malta Cup in February 2005. |
| "I'm delighted with the way I'm playing - I can only get better," Hendry added. | "I'm delighted with the way I'm playing - I can only get better," Hendry added. |
| "It was just a shame I couldn't finish it off today, but my time will come again this season." | "It was just a shame I couldn't finish it off today, but my time will come again this season." |