Snooker: Doherty faces exit from elite after Welsh Open qualifier whitewash
The career of Ken Doherty continues in freefall.
That was the only conclusion to draw in the wake of his disastrous 5-0 whitewash by veteran Jimmy White in the final qualifying round of the Welsh Open at Pontin's, Prestatyn, yesterday.
Only two years after riding high at a personal-best second in the world rankings, Doherty now finds his membership of the seeded top-32 hanging by a thread.
Following the UK Championship in December, Doherty slumped to 35th on the provisional world list, and after being trounced 5-0 by teenager Judd Trump in qualifying for the China Open last month, a positive result against White was imperative.
Instead, Doherty's chronic shortage of confidence was again apparent as, for his second match in succession, the 1997 world champion failed to win a single frame.
White, who at 46 is the second oldest player on the pro tour, played tidily with breaks of 65 and 54 but Doherty's lack of self-belief was all too evident.
Suffered
Doherty, the 1993 and 2001 Welsh Open champion, has won only two of his nine outings in ranking tournaments this season and has suffered three 5-0 defeats -- he also drew a blank against John Parrott in a Grand Prix preliminary.
In order to retain his top-32 status and avoid being thrown deep into qualifying for every event during the 2009/10 campaign, Doherty must now reach at least the quarter-finals of the World Championship, which starts at the Crucible in mid-April.
But, merely to secure an appearance at snooker's most famous venue, 39 year-old Doherty must first negotiate his way through a qualifying contest next month.
Dubliner Michael Judge, also facing a battle to stay in the top-32, enjoyed better fortunes yesterday as runs of 78, 90 and 60 helped him beat Stuart Pettman 5-2.
Judge will now play Welshman Ryan Day in the first round proper when the Welsh Open gets under way in Newport on February 16.
- Phil Yates
