Hendry displays his old determination

Stephen Hendry produced one of his trademark comebacks to join Mark Williams in the semi-finals of the Champions Cup here last night.

Stephen Hendry produced one of his trademark comebacks to join Mark Williams in the semi-finals of the Champions Cup here last night.

The seven-times world champion recovered from 4-2 down to defeat his Irish stablemate, Ken Doherty, 5-4 - a result that ends the Dubliner's interest in the tournament.

The defending champion Hendry now contests top place in Group A with the world title-holder and world No 1 Williams. "I still want to beat Mark because it would be great to go through the group stage undefeated," said Hendry, who also required a final frame to beat Stephen Lee in his opening game. "Every time you're playing the world No 1 and world champion there is an incentive to beat him.

"If I was going to go out today I was going to go out all guns blazing. And it was reassuring for me to know that I still had it in me to come back like I did. To come back from 4-2 down in any tournament is an achievement but more so here where all the players are excellent ones."

Hendry took the opening frame 69-0 but then trailed 2-1 as Doherty knocked in a break of 66 in frame three. Hendry's reply of 87 - his best of the contest - levelled the score at the mid-session interval.

When play resumed Doherty took the next two frames and looked on course to keep alive his hopes of reaching the last four. However, Hendry took frame seven 91-0 and then rallied from 42-0 down in the eighth to force the decider.

Doherty then trailed 39-30 but he simultaneously potted red and blue and Hendry's effort of 30 was good enough to seal the frame 74-30.

"Ken and I always have tough battles and that was another of them," Hendry said. "It's always nice in the early part of the season to know that when you're tested you can come through."

Doherty's match with Lee will decide the wooden spoon in Group A as the world No 5 has also lost his two opening games.