Snooker: Murphy on the Level As Stevens Lets Lead Slip

Matthew Stevens let slip a 3-0 advantage against Shaun Murphy in their world championship quarter-final as the opening session finished 4-4.

In their first meeting since Murphy defeated Stevens 18-11 in the 2005 final, the Welshman was quickly into his stride with frame-winning breaks of 46, 118 and 64.

Murphy set about reducing the deficit with a break of 82 and then took a ragged fifth frame 3-2. Stevens regained the initiative with his second century of the contest but Murphy replied with breaks of 33 and 89 in the next frame.

Stevens then squandered the chance of taking a lead into the evening and Murphy held his nerve with a 33 to go into the break level.

On the other table a run of three frames gave Stephen Maguire the early advantage against Anthony Hamilton and he will resume this evening with a 5-3 lead.

Hamilton had the better of the opening exchanges to go 3-2 ahead but Maguire, who made 106 in the third frame, replied with a break of 42 and a clearance of 25 in the sixth frame. He maintained the momentum with an 88 and then added the final frame of the morning.

At one stage O'Sullivan was 10-9 down and facing an early exit from tournament before he came through 13-10, saying that: "I had to stamp my authority on the match." He added: "I'm pleased to have got through. Neil pots so well and is dangerous among the balls, which can be quite intimidating. When someone is potting so cleanly and sweetly and hitting the back of the pockets with authority it is intimidating. He's a bit of a powerhouse. You have to try to contain him."