Paul Hunter's remarkable record in the Regal Welsh Open got even better today when he beat Ken Doherty to secure a semi-final spot in the year's first world-ranking event.
Hunter remained firmly on course for a successful defence of the title at Cardiff International Arena with a 5-2 victory over former world champion Doherty, his victim in the final last year.
"I haven't a clue what it is about Wales. It's beyond me, but I suppose everyone has their favourite venues," said Hunter after reaching the last four of the tournament for the fifth time.
"Ronnie O'Sullivan has never reached the final here but I always seem to do myself justice. It's the same at the Benson & Hedges Masters. I feel comfortable and things go well for me."
Doherty convincingly beat Hunter 9-4 at last month's UK Championship and when the cagey Dubliner battled back from the loss of the first two frames to enter the mid-session interval at 2-2, he looked marginally the stronger.
But, in with a chance in frame five, Doherty potted a black but failed to take the cue-ball into the cluster of reds and put himself in trouble.
Hunter stepped in with a run of 37 to regain the advantage at 3-2, swiftly took the sixth frame with a 56 break and controlled the seventh to keep alive hopes of having his name engraved on the trophy for a third time.
"After being pegged back to 2-2 it was good to win the fifth frame and from there I didn't really look back," he added.
The only disappointment for Hunter, who at 17 became the youngest ranking-event semi-finalist when he began his love affair with the Regal Welsh in 1996, was squandering the chance to scoop a £7,500 windfall.
In the second frame, Hunter compiled a run of 110 and had the opportunity to overtake Finland's Robin Hull as front-runner for the highest-break prize.
Hull constructed a 139 total clearance during his shock 5-1 win over John Higgins in the last 16 but Hunter was on track to better that with 144.
Instead, only eight pots away from setting a tough target, Hunter missed what he admitted was a "basic" last red.
At least he stayed in the hunt for the £82,500 champion's cheque, unlike dejected Doherty, who said: "From the fifth frame onwards it just didn't run for me, and in a best-of-nine-frames match you just haven't time to recover.
"Reaching a quarter-final is okay but my goal is to win tournaments. I just have to forget about it and get on with the job."