England's Peter Ebdon has captured the UK Championship for the first time late defeating Scotland's Stephen Hendry 10-6 in the final.

In so doing the 36-year-old, world champion in 2002, became the ninth man to win the sport's two most prestigious ranking tournaments.

The Dubai-based Ebdon said he targeted the UK Championship as a top priority putting in a month's solid practice to come through a series of matches against some of the finest players in the game.

"I'm just so proud and it means so much to myself, my wife Deborah and our children," he said Sunday.

"For me to join the select group of players that have won both the UK Championship and World Championship means the world to me. It's such an emotional win."

"It's a tournament I've worked very hard for and I've really put myself through so much to win it."

"I put myself under a lot of pressure because I wanted it so badly. I realised halfway through the tournament I wanted to win it more than I've ever wanted anything in my life."

Ebdon however did not play so well in the final against Hendry as he did in his semi-final win over another Scottish former world champion John Higgins, but it was good enough, with his opponent also well below par.

"I always knew it would be tough against Stephen," said Ebdon. "He played a lot of good safety in the first session but then I found a better rhythm."

"Then Stephen inexplicably started to miss balls and so did I, and it all started to go a bit funny out there."

For Hendry, despite being world number one, the tournament was a return to something like his best form, the Scot having struggled in the season's two previous ranking events.

"I've been delighted with some of my snooker this week,'' said the 37-year-old.

"It's been 100 percent better than what I've been doing this season."
 
(CRI via AFP December 19, 2006)