Si Jiahui maintained his unbeaten record in the first round at the Crucible as he beat David Gilbert 10-6, his first win in a ranking event since January.
Si showed only glimpses of his best, and in fact was described as an "edgy mess" by his opponent, but did enough to set up a last 16 meeting with Mark Selby or Ben Woollaston on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The 22-year-old clearly enjoys this famous stage - two years ago on his debut at the Theatre of Dreams, Si enjoyed a tremendous run to the semi-finals, and he impressed again last year with an opening victory over Mark Williams.
"The crowd here is always amazing," said Si. "They’re so enthusiastic and generous with their applause. It really lifts your spirits. Most players enjoy competing here - it gives you that special feeling."
After a strong start to the season highlighted by runs to the semi-finals of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters and the final of the Wuhan Open, Si has struggled for results in the second half of the campaign, notably losing his opening match in the last five consecutive ranking events. The Sheffield-based cueman has now broken that streak and there is still time to finish the season on a high with a deep run at the sport's flagship event. He will be one of at least six Chinese players in the last 16, joining Ding Junhui, Zhao Xintong, Lei Peifan, Xiao Guodong and the winner of the tie between Zhang Anda and Pang Junxu.
Si led 6-3 after the first session and took the opening frame tonight with a break of 98. Gilbert, a semi-finalist here last year, potted nine reds with blacks at the start of frame 11 but his hopes of a 147 ended with a missed red to a centre pocket on 72. That proved enough to pull a frame back, but Si dominated the next with a top run of 55 to lead 8-4. Frame 13 came down to the last red and Si, leading 57-30, converted an excellent long pot to a baulk corner to move to the brink of victory.
After the interval, Gilbert found some fluency with breaks of 104 and 102 to close to 9-6. A scrappy 16th frame was resolved when Si laid a tough snooker with three reds remaining, and from the chance that followed he crept past the winning post.
Si added: "At 3-3 I potted a really tough red which completely changed the momentum. That gave me confidence and helped me find some rhythm and go 6–3 ahead. Today’s performance was solid. He made two centuries towards the end and that made me nervous, but I managed to hold my nerve and close it out.
"I think I’ve become a better rounded player. Playing against top players constantly exposes your weaknesses, and I’ve been actively working on those. My form recently hasn’t been perfect, but I’m trying to find ways to adjust. Hopefully I can keep building and get better as the tournament goes on.
"I’m sure more and more Chinese players will make their mark here in the future. So many of us are in the main draw. Everyone’s working hard, and we’re all improving together. I think it’s all about mindset. Everyone here is tough, the margins are really fine. If you over-think the venue or the occasion, it can backfire. I’ve learned to treat it just like any other tournament. That relaxed approach has really helped me perform better."
Gilbert said: "I thought we were both very poor. I couldn't pot a long ball and my mid-range game was non existent so I was making it easy for him. Plus the snooker Gods were against me - to be 6-3 down after the first session was laughable. I really looked forward to coming here and I was really pleased to qualify. I love the Crucible but it's not very nice when your game isn't there.
"If it had gone 9-7 I honestly think he would have collapsed, he looked a complete edgy mess the whole way through. He will have to play a lot better than that. I am not Mark Selby, Ronnie O'Sullivan or John Higgins where my bad game is good enough to come out of a bad session 5-4 ahead. If I had practised more with Mark in the build up I think I would have come out of yesterday's session 8-1 ahead. I nearly didn't even play in this tournament so I'm pleased to have played here, I am not down about it. I'm disappointed the season is over now because I am back into a better routine."
On the other table, world number one Judd Trump took a 6-3 lead over China’s Zhou Yuelong. Trump is aiming for a second Crucible crown, having first lifted the famous trophy in 2019.
He started quickly this evening, hammering in breaks of 93, 61 and 52 to take the first two frames. World number 32 Zhou responded by winning the third, but Trump then pulled away to lead 5-1 with a top break of 117. That was his 94th century of the season and he needs just six more to reach three figures and earn a £100,000 bonus.
A 43-minute seventh frame went the way of Zhou, before Trump regained a four-frame cushion at 6-2. The last of the evening saw Zhou compile a gutsy 95 to remain in contention heading into the conclusion on Wednesday from 7pm.