Stephen Hendry continues his quest to return to the Crucible tonight when he takes on China’s Xu Si in the second round of World Championship qualifying. Hendry, a seven-time winner of snooker’s biggest prize, faces 23-year-old world No 82 Si after seeing off long-time rival Jimmy White in the first round on Monday night. Express Sport provides live score updates from the match at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
Stephen Hendry vs Xu Si latest score
Best of 11 frames
LIVE: Stephen Hendry vs Xu Si – begins 7.30pm UK time
Preview
Hendry only made his comeback after nine years out of the sport last month when he lost to Matt Selt at the Gibraltar Open.
And though he was a 6-3 winner against White, whom he defeated in four Crucible finals in the 1990s, the Scot was in an honest mood afterwards.
The 52-year-old said: “On this evidence, my game isn’t ready. I think next year I would be more realistic about my chances.
“In the next round I could play a lot better but I don’t think my game is ready to win four tough matches to get to the Crucible yet.
“Hopefully if I can keep getting better and keep improving, my technique becomes reliable and I can get to a better pace, then next year will be the goal to get back to the Crucible.”
“I will try to keep expectations low, (but) the animal that I am, if I start to get form, then the expectations will rise. At the moment it is about trying to get back to playing some good snooker.”
After losing to Hendry, White is contemplating his future in snooker and the 58-year-old risks falling off of the professional tour unless he re-qualifies or earns a wildcard offer.
But seven-time world champion Hendry continued: “I think Jimmy should keep playing – he loves the game so much.
“When I retired, I faced the fact I couldn’t play. If he can somehow take the pressure off himself and not look at results, not think he can win tournaments, then just go out there and play.”
White meanwhile said: “It was a poor game. Stephen didn’t have a lot to beat. I lost focus. I think I wore myself out and overdid it with the practice.
“I have been struggling. In hindsight, I should have rested more. I’ll wait and see how results go before I make a decision about my future.
“That was a horrendous performance from me. I’m not thinking of not playing, I’m just trying to work out and have some club of how bad I played tonight.”
