Ken Doherty suffers heartbreak as bid to make Crucible is ended

Former world champion loses 4-1 lead against Wales’ Lee Walker in lengthy qualifier

Ken Doherty’s bid to make it to the Crucible was ended on Tuesday. Photograph:  Gareth Copley/Getty Images
Ken Doherty’s bid to make it to the Crucible was ended on Tuesday. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Ken Doherty suffered a crushing disappointment on Tuesday night as his Crucible bid was ended by Wales' Lee Walker.

Former world champion Doherty, 51, had been desperate to get back to the iconic Sheffield venue for the first time in seven years.

But he lost the last five frames in an interrupted match to go down 6-4 at the English Institute of Sport.

Doherty had led 4-1 but against one of the slowest players on tour the match became a crawl.

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The snail’s pace clearly affected the Irishman and after Walker made it 5-4 the pair were taken off to make way for the afternoon matches and brought back last night. And Walker took the next to get over the line.