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| | Monday, 28 January, 2002, 18:32 GMT Hunter's Masters hopes Paul Hunter returned to form in Cardiff By BBC Sport's Clive Everton Paul Hunter's 9-7 win against Ken Doherty in the Regal Welsh Open final was a timely confidence boost ahead of his defence of the Benson and Hedges Masters title. He said: "The last time I won the Regal Welsh [in 1998] all I did was go drinking and clubbing. Now I realise that to be a regular winner you have to practice and work hard." During his Masters victory press conference at Wembley last year, Hunter candidly admitted that he and his girlfriend had spent the interval between the afternoon and evening session love-making. It certainly appeared beneficial to his game.
Resuming 6-2 down against Fergal O'Brien he produced a brilliant evening session, including four centuries in six frames, to win 10-9. Of course, if this tactic worked every time everyone would do it, and Hunter was able to confirm that his triumph in Cardiff was unassisted in this manner. Indeed, but for missing a simple black for a 6-2 interval lead, he would probably have won by a much wider margin. Consecutive wins After failing to reach a single quarter-final in his first four ranking events of the season the 23-year-old Yorkshireman did so in Cardiff. Hunter claimed consecutive 5-4 wins over World and UK champion Ronnie O'Sullivan, and then Peter Ebdon, despite suffering a thumping headache. Graeme Dott, the young Scot who has unobtrusively risen to 10th in the latest unofficial rankings, started their semi-final with a break of 110 but was outplayed thereafter as Hunter came through 6-3. A successful defence of the Masters title is a tall order.
Both Doherty and John Higgins, winner of the first three events of the season, are also in his half of the draw. In any tournament these days there is a feeling that if O'Sullivan plays to his best standard he will win, but he cannot do this every day. Two obvious dangers in O'Sullivan's half are Stephen Hendry and Mark Williams,. Hendry is in better shape than for a couple of years to win his seventh Masters title, while Williams, memorably beat Hendry 10-9 on a re-spotted black in their 1998 final. For Benson and Hedges, who originated the event in 1975, this will be the penultimate year of snooker's longest running sponsorship as tobacco endorsement must cease by government decree in 2003. The �695,000 prize fund includes �190,000 for the winner but, as with all invitation events, including the most prestigious, no world ranking points will be at stake. BBC TV, radio and online will cover all eight day's play. | |
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