Doherty exits World Championship qualifiers

Former world champion Ken Doherty’s hopes of a Crucible return this yr have been ended with a 10-6 loss to Marco Fu in qualifying.

The Dubliner, winner in 1997, made a powerful begin in Friday’s second-round qualifier at Sheffield’s English Institute of Sport however missed a possibility to open up a 3-0 lead.

Fu capitalised by profitable three frames in succession and, though Doherty battled again to guide 6-5, the participant from Hong Kong produced a powerful end to energy by.

Fu levelled at 6-6 after which rattled in breaks of 97, 136 and 61 to maneuver inside one body of victory.

He had an opportunity of a most 147 within the remaining body however needed to accept 104 after lacking the penultimate purple.

Another previous world champion, 2006 victor Graeme Dott reached the third qualifying spherical with a 10-5 win over Egypt’s Mostafa Dorgham.