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Hardworking Lee demolishes Gray
“I have prepared better for tournaments this season than I ever had before, and now I am getting the results,” said the 27-year-old world No 8 from Trowbridge. “I was working very hard around Christmas time so it was disappointing to lose in the first round of the Regal Welsh and the Masters. I felt like I was hitting my head against a brick wall. But this makes it all worth it. “I started badly and gave away the first frame but then I settled down and by 3-1 up I felt great. I thought I was going to be 7-1 up at the end of the first session which would have made me a heavy favourite. “David made a devastating clearance to make it 5-2 and he could have got to 5-3. He would have been kicking himself to lose that eighth frame and it made a big difference.” Looking forward to the Embassy World Championship, which begins next Saturday, Lee added: “Next week is a different week and I’ve got a tough draw. But I have prepared very well and if I can take some of this form up the motorway to Sheffield, I fancy it.” A fantastic week for 23-year-old Gray who reached his first ranking tournament final ended in anti-climax. The world No 30 from Surrey said: “The occasion got to me a bit, I felt cold all the way through. Hats off to Stephen because he played very well and didn not let me settle. I can’t complain because this had been an average season for me but I’e turned it around here. “I came here hoping to get to my first quarterfinal, so to get to the final was a bonus. I’ve picked up a lot of ranking points so I’m happy with that.” RESULTS: QUARTERFINALS: David Gray (Eng) bt Stephen Hendry (Scot) 5-3; Nigel Bond (Eng) bt Dave Harold (Eng) 5-1; Stephen Lee (Eng) bt Jimmy White (Eng) 5-2; Peter Ebdon (Eng) bt Quinten Hann (Aus) 5-4 SEMIFINALS: David Gray (Eng) bt Peter Ebdon (Eng) 6-3 Stephen Lee (Eng) bt Nige | ||||||||