BARRING a complete change of fortunes, Leeds snooker star Paul Hunter won't be needed to play again in York this week after today.

He was back at the Barbican Centre this afternoon to resume his second round match but at 7-1 down had little hope, based on the evidence of yesterday's play, of avoiding defeat.

His opponent, Chinese 18-year-old Ding Junhui, needed only two more frames to go into the quarter-finals, against either Rotherham-based world champion Shaun Murphy or Aussie Neil Robertson.

Hunter, who is struggling to cope with adverse side-effects from drugs he takes to combat cancer, couldn't summon up his best form and was 5-0 down before he battled successfully to take a frame.

He had none of his famous sharpness and sparkle at the table. When Junhui made unforced errors, Hunter wasn't able to capitalise on them until the sixth frame.

He got a good run of the balls for a 48 break, his highest of the day. The teenager put together a 45 but missed a potable chance and let Hunter in to chalk up a frame. But Junhui took the next two for his 7-1 lead

Stephen Hendry, the seven times world and five times UK champion, stepped up a gear to defeat James Wattana 9-7 after the Thailander had led 5-3 overnight and took the first frame yesterday.

Hendry got back to 5-7 and in the final session suddenly hit brilliant form to make two centuries in three frames without Wattana scoring a point.

His third round match against former world and UK champion Mark Williams started this afternoon.

UK defending champion Stephen Maguire was pleased with his form in his opening 9-2 win over Joe Swail yesterday but said that he would have to improve for his third round duel with Steve Davis starting tonight. Maguire beat Davis 9-2 last year on the way to taking the title.

Maguire added that the shock exit of Ronnie O'Sullivan, beaten 9-8 by Romford's Mark King on Saturday night, had opened up the draw. The 24-year-old Scot beat O'Sullivan last year.

O'Sullivan was so out of sorts that he draped his white towel over his head and face during the latter frames when King was at the table. Referee Alan Chamberlain also gave O'Sullivan a warning for bad conduct after he had conceded a frame when there were enough points left for him to win it.

King, who lost to Maguire in the UK semis last year, plays Joe Perry tomorrow for a place in the last eight.

Murphy, who was taking painkillers to dull the pain from having had four teeth removed by his dentist on Thursday, beat friend and occasional practice partner Nigel Bond 9-7 on Saturday. His last 16 match against Robertson is tomorrow.

Murphy and his girlfriend Clare were at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year show in London last night.

UK Snooker Championship results from the Barbican, York

Saturday's results

Second round: Mark King bt Ronnie O'Sullivan 9-8, Shaun Murphy bt Nigel Bond 9-7.

Yesterday's results

Second round: Stephen Maguire bt Joe Swail 9-2, Stephen Hendry bt James Wattana 9-7.

Third round overnight positions: Ken Doherty 4, John Higgins 4; Peter Ebdon 4, Allister Carter 4; Mark Davis 2, Stuart Bingham 6; Paul Hunter 1, Ding Junhhui 7.

Playing Monday

Third round (best of 17 frames)

1.30pm: Paul Hunter (1) v Ding Junhui (7) play to a finish; Mark Williams v Stephen Hendry, first eight frames.

Afternoon (following earlier matches): Mark Davis (2) v Stuart Bingham (6), Ken Doherty (4) v John Higgins (4) (both these matches play to a finish).

7.30pm: Stephen Maguire v Steve Davis (first eight frames); Peter Ebdon (4) v Allister Carter (4) (play to a finish).

Playing Tuesday afternoon

Third round: 1.30pm: Mark King v Joe Perry (first eight frames), Neil Robertson v Shaun Murphy (first eight frames). Both these matches resume to a finish at 7.30pm.

Second matches (being played in the afternoon are: Stephen Maguire v Steve Davis, Mark Williams v Stephen Hendry, both these matches playing to a finish.

Updated: 10:24 Monday, December 12, 2005