Ronnie O'Sullivan took a 5-3 lead over Stephen Hendry into the interval after a record-breaking session to move to within four frames of winning the British Open in Brighton today.
The arch-rivals traded centuries in five successive frames - a first in a major final. Hendry, winner of the title in 1988, 1991 and 1999, set the ball rolling in the fourth frame, clinching it with a 135 total clearance to make it 2-2.
O'Sullivan, the champion as an 18-year-old in 1994, then fired in runs of 106 and 100 to lead 4-2. Hendry hit back with a 121 before O'Sullivan secured his two-frame advantage with a closing 109.
Seven-times world champion Hendry leads the all-time century count on 616, with O'Sullivan in second place with over 300.
O'Sullivan defeated the Scot 9-6 in their last meeting, the European Open final last March, which included a total of five centuries. And Hendry was responsible for setting the record of seven tons in one match when he beat Dubliner Ken Doherty 10-5 in the 1994 UK Championship final.
The match was eagerly awaited as the next chapter in one of the game's most bitter rivalries. Although each player respects the other for their on-table ability, O'Sullivan sparked off-table animosity when he launched a verbal attack on Hendry before their semi-final at the 2002 Embassy World Championship.
O'Sullivan claimed he had `no respect' for him and that he wanted to send Hendry `back to his sad little life'. In a recent interview, Hendry revealed that the pair have still not made up.
"The two of us pass each other in the corridor without anything being said," he admitted. "I dare say it will get to the stage where we say `hello' but it'll never be the same again, because you always wonder when he's going to come out with something again."
The British Open, which carries a first prize of £52,000, is the second tournament of the new season.
O'Sullivan will move up to second place in the provisional world rankings if he claims victory, although runaway world number one Mark Williams retains a lead of more than 8,000 points.