ACCRINGTON professional Shokat Ali failed in his bid to reach the quarter-finals of the German Open at the Atlantis Rheinhotel in Bingen.

Ali was beaten 5-2 by world champion Ken Doherty who faces Scotland's Jamie Burnett tomorrow for a place in the semi-finals.

"I didn't play well enough, the better player won on the day," said Ali who was playing in the last 16 of a ranking event for the first time.

The world No 59 went 2-0 behind as Doherty, out of form for much of the season though winner of a small invitation event in Malta two months ago, put together breaks of 30 and 59 followed by a 37.

But Ali hit back to draw level winning the fourth frame by clearing from brown to black.

Doherty led 3-2 with a clearance of 88 and then survived a 51 minutes sixth frame before sealing victory with a break of 58. "The two breaks were decent ones, Ken did well. But I'm a bit disappointed at my own performance. I just didn't get going, I had to work away all the time."

He added: "My next engagement is the Embassy World Championship qualifiers in Blackpool next month and quite frankly after playing in the final stages here and the UK championship at Preston a couple of weeks ago, I'm not looking forward to going back there.

"I don't even know who my opponent is, but it's work and I have to turn up."

Frames scores: (Doherty first) 96-12, 65-37, 50-84, 66-77, 88-45, 61-38, 59-10.

Next month, Ali also competes in the Regal Welsh at Newport where his first round opponent is the former world amateur champion, Irishman Stephen O'Connor.

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