Phil Taylor has sensationally threatened to walk away from darts after his grudge match against Chris Mason at the Ladbrokes.com World Championship spilled over into open hostility.
Mason had been quoted in a national newspaper today, saying he does not like the 13-time world champion and accusing him of being arrogant and materialistic.
The comments only served to fire up Taylor who eased to a 4-0 victory which, while not of the standard of his win against Mick McGowan, was still thoroughly emphatic.
But at the end, angry words were exchanged between the players - with Mason clearly unwilling to let his opponent walk off stage until he had said what he wanted to say.
In his post-match interview with Sky Sports, Taylor described what Mason had said as 'filth' and claimed he would rather quit the game than have to put up with any more slurs on his character.
'During the match, he was arguing with the crowd and at the end he effed and blinded' at me,' said the 46-year-old from Stoke.
'I don't like it, and there's no need for it.
'I've put 18 years of my life into this game and I won't be talked to like a piece of dirt. I won't put up with it. You can get someone else to take my place, because I'm not putting up with it any more off people like him.
'I'll see him upstairs in a minute, and we'll see how big and brave he is.
'I've had it for years off the players. It's silly. They don't work hard enough and they are blaming me for their mistakes. It's not my fault. I'm just a working-class man who has done well for myself.'
The drama of the night's preceding match paled in comparison with Taylor's anger, yet it was still a thriller as Terry Jenkins reached the quarter-finals for the first time.
He did so, though, only after James Wade had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
Wade, runner-up to Taylor in this year's World Matchplay, looked to be cruising at 3-1 up - and although Jenkins won the next set, the 23-year-old was soon only one leg away from going through.
However, the Hampshire professional then self-destructed, almost seeming to give up in the face of dogged persistence from his opponent who needed to do nothing special to get back into it.
Jenkins knew his opportunity had arrived when they entered the deciding set - and Wade cut a sorry figure as 'The Bull' continued the improvement he has made this year.
Earlier, Andy Jenkins produced his best performance in 13 years competing at the highest level to knock out Adrian Lewis.
The 35-year-old from Hampshire won 4-3 to reach the quarter-finals for the first time, having never previously gone beyond the second round of either the Lakeside or Circus Tavern versions of the world title.
He had to do it the hard way for Lewis - protege of 13-time world champion Taylor - made his usual blistering start and led 2-0 before Jenkins roared back in a match played at a frantic pace.
In the last eight Jenkins will meet Colin Osborne, who continued his impressive progress by ousting fourth seed Roland Scholten.
The 31-year-old Derby-based qualifier has now beaten three players ranked in the top 20 - and the Dutchman became the latest as he succumbed 4-2.
Darren Webster will be Taylor's quarter-final opponent as he ended the challenge of South Africa's Wynand Havenga with a 4-2 triumph.
Andy 'The Hammer' Hamilton ended the challenge of two-time former world champion Dennis Priestley with a 4-1 victory that put him through to a quarter-final against Terry Jenkins tomorrow.
