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Legend Davis out despite fight
AFTER just three days, the Crucible lost its first former world champion.
Six-times winner Steve Davis bowed out late last night, but not without showing glimpses of the form which saw him dominate the 1980s.
The Nugget bravely fought back from 8-3 down to draw level with Basildon potter Stuart Bingham in their seesaw first round tussle.
But Davis missed a glorious chance to edge 9-8 ahead when he lost the 17th frame – which lasted 44 minutes – on the final black.
Bingham held his nerve and went through with a pressure break of 59 in the next frame. He admitted he had to hold back the tears after clinching an emotional rollercoaster.
World No 15 Davis said: "I missed two unforgivable reds. I felt decent after a ropey start, but defeat's a bitter pill to swallow. Unfortunately there's no credibility to lose, but it was a nice feeling that I got a lot of support out there."
While Davis slipped up at the first hurdle, Stephen Hendry – another Crucible legend – produced a gutsy comeback to keep his challenge alive.
From 6-3 and 9-7 down to Belfast young gun Mark Allen, the seven-times world champ clinched a nerve-jangling 10-9 victory to progress.
Emotional Ulsterman Allen broke down in tears in his post-match press conference, a mixture of disappointment that he had failed to cause another Crucible upset.
Last season the former world under-21 champion dumped out 1997 champion Ken Doherty.
But Scot Hendry, who has not got past the second round for the last two Crucible tournaments, pocketed a pressure break of 72 to pinch the decider.
Welshman Ryan Day dumped out Dubliner Michael Judge with a 10-6 win, although his opponent missed the chance of a memorable maximum 147 break.
Judge, Welshman Mark Williams – twice – and Mark King all missed chances of the 147 yesterday.
Anyone doing so at this year's 17-day tournament will pocket 147,000 and an additional 10,000 for the high break prize.
Today's play
10am: Ding Junhui v Marco Fu, Mark King (Eng) 4-5 Mark Selby (NIrl)
2.30pm: Mark Williams (Wal) 8-1 Mark Davis (Eng), Graeme Dott v Joe Perry
7pm: Ding Junhui v Marco Fu, Shaun Murphy v Dave Harold
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
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