Robert Milkins admitted he was "fighting demons" during a tense battle against Pang Junxu at the Cazoo World Championship, but he was elated to come through 10-9 to reach the second round.
In the third match of the opening round to go to a deciding frame, Milkins got the better of the closing exchanges, punching the air in delight and relief as the last balls went down. Often plagued by negative thinking, Milkins described the match as "horrendous" but managed to control his emotions at the key moments.
He's through to the second round at the Crucible for the fifth time and victory over David Gilbert would give the likeable 48-year-old a first quarter-final. It's the second consecutive year in which he has won his opening match at the Crucible 10-9, having beaten Joe Perry by the same score in 2023 before losing to Si Jiahui.
Gloucester's Milkins enjoyed his best season in 2022/23, winning the Welsh Open and climbing into the top 16. This season has been tougher - he is yet to reach a ranking event quarter-final - but tonight's result ensures that he will finish the campaign on a high and the £30,000 towards his ranking significantly boosts his chances of keeping his top 16 status.
In a tight concluding session, there was never more than one frame between the pair. Milkins took the first two of the evening to lead 6-5, before China's 24-year-old Pang responded to edge 7-6 ahead. The next two were shared, then in frame 16, Pang might have gone 9-7 up had he not missed a difficult pot on the penultimate red along a side cushion when he led 49-37, letting Milkins in for an excellent 36 clearance for 8-8. Pang led 50-0 in the next when a power shot on the blue to a centre pocket failed to drop, but Milkins' counter reached just 9 before he wobbled the pink in the jaws of a top corner, before banging his cue on the floor in frustration as his opponent took advantage to edge ahead.
Back came Milkins with a fine run of 76 for 9-9. In a nervy decider, Pang made 23 before missing a tough red, then Milkins replied with 49 before running out of position. A safety battle was resolved when Milkins clipped a thin cut on the penultimate red into a centre pocket, setting him up for a match-winning 16.
"It's a massive win, it's £30,000 or nothing on my ranking, which is such a big difference," said Milkins. "I have had such a bad season but I could still rescue it here. It's not as big as winning the Welsh Open, but these are huge games. The top players can cruise through the first round, but for the rest of us it's hard work, especially because there were so many good players coming through the qualifiers.
"I was fighting demons out there. I played so badly, we were like two amateurs in a club. That's not disrespectful to Pang because he would say the same. My game has been good in practice but the pressure got to me tonight, it was horrendous. It was only from 9-8 down that I played ok, because I had basically given up and felt I couldn't play any worse. I was more nervous at 0-0 than I was at 9-9. I'm just chuffed to bits.
"Dave Gilbert is a lovely cueist, I suppose most people will think it's a 50-50 game. I didn't look at the draw before because I only wanted to win my first match. When I get home I'll get into bed, get my phone out and look at the draw and the rankings - I only look at them when I win!"
On the other table, 2012 runner-up Barry Hawkins came from 5-2 down to trail just 5-4 overnight against Ryan Day. Hawkins made breaks of 108 and 66 to lead 2-1, before Day reeled off four in a row with top runs of 110 and 76 to go 5-2 ahead. World number 15 Hawkins took frame eight then made a 93 in the last of the session. They resume on Wednesday evening, with the winner to meet Ronnie O'Sullivan or Jackson Page in round two.