December 16th 2024.
Ken Doherty, at the age of 55, showed that he still has what it takes to win a match in dramatic fashion. After undergoing surgery for an umbilical hernia in October, the former world champion returned to the table for German Masters qualifying in Sheffield. And what a return it was.
Doherty started off strong, taking a commanding 4-0 lead over his opponent, Oliver Lines. But Lines fought back, winning four frames in a row to level the match at 4-4. The pressure was on for both players in the deciding frame, with Lines taking an early lead. But then, in a moment of sheer brilliance, Doherty produced a break of 66 to win the match on the final black.
After the match, Doherty spoke about the rollercoaster of emotions he experienced on the table. "I tell you what, I'm 55, but I came off the table feeling about 65," he said. "I was 4-0 up and coasting, but then I started collapsing like an MFI wardrobe. It was frightening! I couldn't pot a ball and I started thinking about my loss to Jimmy White in the World Seniors final after being 4-0 up."
Doherty also admitted that at one point, as Lines was mounting his comeback, he considered hanging up his cue for good. "I was sitting in my chair, watching him win four frames in a row and thinking, do I really want to do this? But then, I made that unbelievable clearance on the black and it gave me a new burst of energy," he said.
This victory was Doherty's first of the season, and it came in spectacular fashion. "I've had wonderful times as a player, but I was sitting there while he was coming back at me and I couldn't play how I used to play," he said. "I was even considering retirement, but this win has given me a new boost. It was tough, but that's just part of being a snooker player. You have to ride the ups and downs and enjoy the journey."
Despite the ups and downs, Doherty is not ready to hang up his cue just yet. He is back in action for his next qualifier against Jordan Brown on Tuesday, and he's ready to face whatever challenges come his way. "That's what you sign up for as a snooker player," he said. "The good and the not so good. You just have to control it and enjoy it, even when you hate it."
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