Stephen Hendry failed to get beyond the opening day of the Maplin UK Championship as he was beaten 9-4 by Mark Allen.
Six-time champion sent packing by Irishman on opening day in Telford
Stephen Hendry fell at the first hurdle in the Maplin UK Championship as he was comprehensively beaten 9-4 by Mark Allen.
Bidding to equal Steve Davis' record of six wins in the event, the Scot was blown away in a one-sided opening session.
Despite taking the first frame of the contest the seven-time world champion found himself 6-2 down heading into the evening action.
Allen - who had lost the only previous meeting between the two 5-1, reeled of runs of 80, 88, 79 and 66 to put himself in total control.
Further breaks of 76 and 77 after the interval helped him wrap up a shock victory on the opening day of the tournament.
Biggest win
"That's definitely the biggest win of my career so far," the man from Antrim said afterwards. "Not my best performance, but definitely my biggest win.
"He was the player I always looked up to when I was starting out in snooker, I always used to watch him when he was dominating. I've just beaten my hero."
Hendry felt a lack of confidence was the major reason why he was the first big-name casualty at the Telford International Centre.
"I've had tough draws in the past and come through, but the thing is at the moment, because I've not had a good season, I'm struggling with confidence," he admitted.
"But actually I'm probably hitting the ball as well as I ever have done in practice, it's just a matter of getting a couple of victories and I'll be back where I should be. It's hard at the minute - you need wins to get confidence."
McGuire, Williams progress
There were no such problems for Stephen McGuire as he eased to a 9-5 result against Joe Swail.
The Scot - who recently won the Northern Ireland Trophy - was always in control of the contest after finishing the first session with a 6-2 advantage.
He compiled breaks of 122, 120, 97, 48, 64, 64 and 77 to progress, although he admitted afterwards that Swail had helped him out with some poor play in the afternoon.
Maguire said: "Joe made it easy for me in the afternoon and then left himself too much to do in the evening session."
Two-time UK champion Mark Williams is also through to the second round after a 9-3 victory over qualifier Ricky Walden.
The Welshman will now hope to succeed where Hendry failed as the win means he will lock horns with Allen in the next round.
