Ding, Hendry progress

Five-times British champion Hendry is currently ranked number one in the world, although has not yet hit his best form this season.

But a superb opening session saw the 37-year-old lead 6-2 at the interval, and he was able to hold off an improved evening display from the Welsh former world number one to close out the match.

Hendry set up a quarter-final clash against Ronnie O'Sullivan, who hammered Stephen Maguire 9-3 yesterday to book his place.

Ding Junhui stayed on course to become only the third player to retain the UK Championship as he beat Matthew Stevens 9-5.

The 19-year-old Chinese star - who beat Steve Davis in the final to win the title as a qualifier last year - compiled breaks of 111, 100, 92 and 81 as he eased in to a quarter-final clash with former World Champion Peter Ebdon.

"I'm relieved to have won because I didn't play very well," Ding said through an interpreter after the match.

"Near the end of the last frame I played a blue a bit too fast and I regret that a bit. It felt quite hot in the arena and that disturbed me.

"I'm not feeling very stable just now. I didn't feel very confident before the match and I was a bit worried in the first session because Matthew played well."

Ding has practised with Ebdon since he first came to the UK as a 15-year-old and both play at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield.

Meanwhile, Joe Perry turned around a 5-3 deficit to beat Ken Doherty and set up a last-eight tie against Scotsman John Higgins with a shock 9-6 victory.

Doherty admitted he failed to hit top form against Perry, who has reached the semi-finals for the last two years in this event.

"Joe shut me out for three frames," said the 1997 world champion. "He played really well tonight, and I missed a few chances.

"I should have gone 6-3 up - and if I had it would have been different. But sometimes that's the way it goes, and it makes things pretty difficult."

Finally, Steve Davis beat Alan McManus 9-7 in a marathon match that didn't finish until 20 minutes after midnight.