STEPHEN HENDRY rolled back the years with an exquisite display against Dave Harold at the Welsh Open yesterday and the Scot should be backed at even money to defeat Ryan Day today.
Hendry's form has been patchy this season, and over the past few years, but he never gave Harold a look in at the Newport Centre and on that display he will breeze into the quarter-finals.
He made breaks of 84, 113, 62 and 75 to coast into a 4-0 lead, before sealing the match 5-1 with another knock of 72 and every time he stepped forward to the table you got the impression another sizeable break was just minutes away.
Meanwhile, Day struggled to get past veteran Tony Drago, coming back from 3-1 down to beat the 'Tornado' 5-4, only claiming the match on the final pink. He should have lost as Drago wasted a great opportunity on the colours and the Welshman nipped in to take his chance. But Day has not been playing well this season and Hendry is the solid choice with Boylesports.
Joe Perry is in terrible form and he should be taken on with GRAEME DOTT this afternoon, with the former world champion a best price of 9-10 `(Stan James) to make it through to the second round.
Cambridgeshire cueman Perry was thrashed 6-0 by Ryan Day at the Masters and looks like a man desperately struggling with his game. He has dropped down to 20 in the provisional world rankings and on the one-year list is down at 29th, not good for a man officially ranked 12th.
As for Dott, he will be buoyed by a qualifying victory over Ken Doherty, beating the Irishman 5-3 despite making only one break over 50, and as that match was only a few days ago he'll still be buzzing and I will be surprised if he doesn't beat the 'Gentleman' today.
Elsewhere, the in-form MARK WILLIAMS is a gimme at 2-7 (totesport) against Fergal O'Brien, as is JOHN HIGGINS (1-5) when he tackles Michael Judge.
Ding Junhui could have been handed an easier task as he faces Jamie Cope and no bet is advised here as it really could go either way, while MARK SELBY is value at 4-9 to beat Judd Trump.
That just leaves my outright 10-1 tip NEIL ROBERTSON who is a general 4-7 shot to get the better of defending champion Ali Carter and I don't think the Aussie should be ignored at those odds.
