Jimmy White would never have obtained his nickname as the `Whirlwind' had he played too many sessions of snooker like his Embassy World Championship opener tonight.
It took White and Norfolk qualifier Barry Pinches three hours 11 minutes to complete just seven frames of their best-of-19-frames encounter.
And with the six-times Crucible runner-up 4-3 ahead, play was suspended to allow the evening games to start.
That leaves White and Pinches with 12 more frames to play when the game resumes tomorrow morning.
It was disappointing for White and his Sheffield fan club. Instead of fireworks after his recent victory at the Players Championship in Glasgow, spectators were treated to a damp squib of an afternoon.
The fifth frame ground on for 43 minutes while the fastest was hardly a breeze at 21 minutes in duration.
White was never behind but compiled just one break over 50 while 33-year-old Pinches managed 53 in the second frame.
Pinches, wearing a green and yellow waistcoat in the colours of his favourite football team Norwich, had a reputation for slow play in his early years as a professional.
But he has produced some fine snooker this season, culminating in qualifying for The Crucible for the first time since 1991.
On that occasion he lost 10-3 to Terry Griffiths and is clearly determined to avoid a similar hiding.
In contrast, White is a Sheffield ever-present since 1981.