May 02, 2008	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 25, 1429

SHEFFIELD (England), May 1: Unfancied Englishman Joe Perry reached the semi-finals of snooker’s World Championships late on Wednesday by winning the last two frames to defeat Scotland’s Stephen Maguire 13-12.

The 33-year-old Perry will play compatriot Ali Carter who edged Peter Ebdon 13-11. The other semi-final opposes two former champions in tournament favourite Ronnie O’Sullivan of England and seven-time winner Stephen Hendry of Scotland.

The 17-year-old Maguire had been expected to make it two Scots into the last four but he let slip a 12-11 lead against the world No 18 and afterwards admitted he had underestimated his opponent.

“I never gave him the respect he deserves,” said Maguire who cruised through his opening two matches.

“I played him last year and slaughtered him to be honest and I thought I was going to do it again.

“There was something missing, I don’t know if I was mentally in that match.

The final frame was the first bit of pressure I have been under and it was like

‘Where did that come from?’ I never handled it.

“I’ve had a good season and I’m going to end it at world number two so I can’t complain but at the end of the day it’s a bad result.”

In contrast Perry admirably kept his nerve during the nerve-racking last two frames.

“I’m gradually fulfilling all my ambitions,” he said.

“When you turn pro you want to play at the Crucible, then reach the one-table stage, then reach the final and then win it. I am absolutely thrilled.

“I was just trying to keep my cool in the last frame. I was nervous, but I’ve been a lot more nervous than that before and I was surprised at how calm I was when my chance came along.”

Perry’s win means that at least one player never to have won the world title will be in the final, but when the players return to action on Thursday all eyes will inevitably be on the showdown between the two greatest players of the last 20 years — Hendry and O’Sullivan.

That will be a repeat of the 2004 semi-final that O’Sullivan won 17-4 on his way to a second world title.

The two players have not not always been the best of friends but have a lot of respect for each other’s ability and O’Sullivan was not surprised to see the 39-year-old Scot advance to the last four after a poor few seasons by his standards.

“It’s good to be in the semi-final against a fantastic player,” the 32-year-old said.

“He has probably not done as well as he would have liked over the last two or three years but when you have the ability to do anything to such a high standard you can still win tournaments.

Hendry has not won a ranking title since 2005 and is seeking his first world crown since 1999.

“It’s fantastic to be in the semi-finals,” he said.

“I was not coming in here with any great form under my belt with just one semi-final this season, but I knew if I could get past the first round anything could happen.

“If you look back at the record I’ve had here — six wins in seven years from 1990-96 — it can give you nothing but confidence to know that you’ve been there and done it.” —AFP