McLeod's hopes ended by Higgins

Rory McLeod's ambitions of reaching the quarter-finals of the World Championship were extinguished yesterday as he lost 13-7 to John Higgins.

The world No 35 had gone into yesterday's final session of his second round match with a 10-5 deficit, and it had initially looked as if it would be a swift exit for the Englishman as he lost the first two frames to leave his opponent requiring just one more to progress.

But the 40-year-old, familiar in the Gulf region for the work he has done coaching the Qatar national snooker team, showed tenacity as he won the next two frames to cut his deficit back to five behind with six to play.

But Higgins, the three-time world champion, showed just why he is a favourite to win a fourth title as he stayed cool to win the 20th frame and clinch the match and a place in the last eight.

Meanwhile, Stephen Hendry, the seven-time world champion, has said he will decide in the summer if he is going to retire from the game following his 13-4 defeat to Mark Selby.

"Some decisions have to be made in the next few weeks, but even if I want to keep playing there is no guarantee that I would qualify to come back here next year," the Scotsman said.

"It would be hard to think I was not going to come here. I have had so much success and so many memories.

"I have had 26 years here, won it seven times, been in the final twice more."

The quarter-finals begin today, with Judd Trump taking on the 2006 champion Graeme Dott, while Mark Williams, the double champion, meets Mark Allen.