29 April 2005	Friday	19 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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SHEFFIELD (England), April 28: Two snooker greats ditched out of the world championship on Wednesday as Matthew Stevens and rookie Shaun Murphy reached the semifinals. Stevens became the first player through to the last four when he beat seven-times former champion Stephen Hendry 13-11.

Six-times winners Steve Davis, trailing 12-4 overnight to Murphy, then lost the opening frame as he bowed out 13-4.

Welshman Stevens will be appearing in his fifth semifinal in six years at The Crucible, although he has only reached the final once in 2000 when he lost to Mark Williams.

He said that Hendry had not produced his best snooker.

“He’s the best player of all time and once he starts scoring, I don’t think anyone can beat him,” said Stevens. “But luckily for me, he didn’t produce the snooker that’s won him seven world titles.

“It wasn’t the best match in the world, but you’ve got to come through games like that. I managed to dig in and got the result.”

Hendry said he was frustrated with his failure to find his best form in the tournament.

“There was not a time in the championship where I felt I was playing well,” he said.

Murphy, who had to qualify for the tournament, said after beating Davis that he can go on to win the title.

Defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan moved to within three frames of the last four after going 10-6 up against Peter Ebdon at the end of the second session of their match.

Ebdon fought back from 8-2 down, winning three frames in a row, but O’Sullivan claimed two out of the last three to move four frames clear.

Results quarterfinal (Best of 25 frame)

Shaun Murphy (England) btSteve Davis (England) 13-4 (72-5 47-43 62-73 73-51 82-1 51-28 107-4 70-66 7-111 67-5 74-30 92-30 31-86 121-4 60-54 18-64 86-30); Matthew Stevens (Wales) bt 3-Stephen Hendry (Scotland) 13-11 (70-31 74-8 63-4 7-84 114-0 70-47 40-71 18-77 0-138 54-86 20-114 21-68 78-5 75-0 32-81 68-21 93-0 30-85 17-73 20-106 65-54 71-31 77-49 93-0); Ian McCulloch (England) leads 10-Alan McManus (Scotland) 9-5 (101-31 125-0 119-0 24-64 13-67 29-72 42-66 59-66 67-43 98-0 76-0 50-41 64-0 61-9) Ronnie O’Sullivan (England) leads 8-Peter Ebdon (England) 10-6 (79-1 137-0 63-68 101-0 98-0 86-8 48-71 110-14 60-34 69-17 47-61 51-63 16-97 76-26 0-62 62-56).—Reuters