Mark Allen fell at the first hurdle as he looked to defend his UK Championship title this year, beaten 6-5 by Ding Junhui in a superb opening contest in York.
The Chinese superstar was clearly unwell and struggling through the match but battled through illness to edge out a man in fine form after Allen won the Champion of Champions just a week ago.
Allen played pretty well, knocking in breaks of 67, 106, 60, 65 and 70 over the piece, but it was a missed red in the deciding frame that will be bothering him on Saturday night.
The Northern Irishman broke down on 37 to allow Ding back in and he took full advantage, clearing the table with a break of 102 to progress to the last 16.
Allen told the BBC: ‘It was a strange game, I felt like I was in complete control in so many frames and kept losing frames I was ahead in. On another day that match is over 6-1.
‘If you don’t take your chances in this game it’ll come back to bite you, that’s what happens in this game. Ding made a good break in the last, but it was disappointing missing the red in the middle.
‘I’m disappointed now, I don’t want to lose first round in the UK, but I played well there, I played much better than Ding did, it was just one of those really strange games that happen every now and again.’
Next up for Ding is Tom Ford or Noppon Saengkham in the last 16, when he will hope to feel a bit better next week.
‘Every time he made a 50, 60, I had another chance, so just made the points I can. I didn’t put a lot of pressure on myself because I feel not so good,’ said Ding.
‘I was in the doctors and I take some tablets, it hasn’t quite worked yet. This morning I felt like I couldn’t stand, maybe I didn’t play today so I just tried to make it happen. I felt better before the match started. I was thinking maybe a walk-over for this match, but I tried to play.’
A three-time UK Championship winner, Ding said of York: ‘I like it so much, it’s my favourite. Every time I play UK Championship I play good, the venue’s nice. I think the venue brings luck to me.’
On the other table on Saturday afternoon Mark Williams became the first man into the last 16 with a 6-4 win over Fan Zhengyi.
It was not a vintage performance from the three-time world champion, but he improved in the second half of the match, with the three half-centuries he made coming in the final four frames, including an 86 to get over the line.
The 48-year-old has already won the British Open this season and is a contender for silverware over the coming days, with either Kyren Wilson or Jamie Clarke next for him in the last 16.
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