Ken Doherty had to call on all his experience to ease into the second round of the World Championship at Sheffield yesterday with a last frame 10-9 win over England's Shaun Murphy.
Doherty looked in control when he led 8-5 but Murphy took the next three to level at 8-8 and although Doherty again led 9-8, Murphy took the match to the final frame with a break of 81.
However, two breaks in the 20s eased Doherty through to the next round.
Steve Davis' playing engagement is finished for another season after Stephen Lee won the last four frames to complete a 10-6 first round victory.
Davis fancied his chances of upsetting the world number seven from Trowbridge, and for a good proportion of what turned out to be a six-hour slog he kept pace with his Wiltshire rival.
But Lee, beaten by the six-time champion in last month's Irish Masters, was not to be denied again. From 6-6 he picked up the tempo and booked a place in the second round against Jimmy White or James Wattana.
Davis, back at the Crucible for the first time since 2000, had no complaints at his defeat. "There were four or five frames that could have gone either way and I didn't win enough of those," said the 45-year-old Essex ace. "But Stephen cued superbly in the second session and he deserved to win.
"I played okay but nothing better than okay. I'm a bit disappointed because my expectations weren't just to turn up, but to win.
"However, it's still a great thrill to play here. And as long as they don't change the set-up completely then I will be here next season as I don't have to qualify.
"All credit to Stephen. He has struggled this season but he played well when he needed to.
"But I have got back in the top 16 and I might break open a bottle of champagne to celebrate."
"You need to win the frame in one visit because the standard is so high," said Lee. Stephen Hendry showed that the other night.
"I probably won the safety exchanges with Steve and he couldn't make the most of his opportunities.
"In the end I just scraped over the line. Steve is a great player and I knew I was going to be in for a battle.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (at The Crucible theatre, Sheffield) First round: Ken Doherty (Ireland) bt Shaun Murphy (England) 10-9 (Frame scores Doherty first): 51-1 115-0 6-92 22-54 15-74, 131-0 0-80 64-8 117-15 62-44 70-35 76-32 3-101 1-67 58-63 0-81 82-13 1-93 56-42).
Graeme Dott (Sco) bt Robert Milkins (Eng) 10-4 (Frame scores, Dott first: 60-50, 59-15, 5-85, 59-63, 117 (104)-0, 34-69, 46-68, 68-66, 72-0, 102-11, 75-42, 66-4, 60-8, 60-28);
Stephen Hendry (Scot) bt Gary Wilkinson (Eng) 10-7 (Frame scores, Hendry first: 124 (120 break)-16, 83-8, 1-63, 132 (132 break)-0, 12-56, 81-44, 60-63, 75-32, 103-9, 0-64, 71-0, 0-70, 52-43, 76-34, 28-67, 6-63, 67-33);
John Higgins (Sco) leads Ian McCulloch (Eng) 6-3 (Frame scores, Higgins first: 32-63, 92-33, 2-65, 0-93, 136-0, 66-15, 83-4, 98-0, 73-16);
Stephen Lee (Eng) bt Steve Davis (Eng) 10-6 Frame scores (Lee first): 56-53, 90-0, 4-65, 20-56, 19-69, 67-60, 77-6, 27-63, 16-60, 74-0, 73-49, 53-56, 71-40, 93-0, 128-4, 68-40
