Ken Doherty exits World Championship qualifiers

Former world champion Ken Doherty's hopes of a Crucible return this year were ended with a 10-6 loss to Marco Fu in qualifying.

The Dubliner, winner in 1997, made a strong start in Friday’s second-round qualifier at Sheffield’s English Institute of Sport but missed an opportunity to open up a 3-0 lead.

Fu capitalised by winning three frames in succession and, although Doherty battled back to lead 6-5, the player from Hong Kong produced a strong finish to power through.

Fu levelled at 6-6 and then rattled in breaks of 97, 136 and 61 to move within one frame of victory.

He had a chance of a maximum 147 in the final frame but had to settle for 104 after missing the penultimate red.

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