Mark Williams joined another former winner, John Higgins, in slipping out of the Embassy World Championship at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre tonight.
Second seed Williams lost 13-12 to Ian McCulloch in a see-saw encounter, the world number 17 from Preston eventually coming through a tense decider to book a quarter-final against Alan McManus starting tomorrow.
Although disappointed to have lost in round two for the second consecutive year, Williams has the compensation of standing to collect £161,000 if the maximum break he made in his first match is not equalled.
Peter Ebdon won the other second round match tonight beating his compatriot Stephen Lee 13-9.
Earlier today, Matthew Stevens finished off Jimmy White's World Championship hopes for another year as the Welshman wrapped up the tie 13-5 at the Crucible this afternoon.
It took Stevens just thirty minutes to gain the remaining frame needed to put him into the quarter-finals.
This afternoon's other tie, featuring Englishman Shaun Murphy and Scotland's John Higgins, finished with victory for the young Englishman 13-8.
Murphy resumed this afternoon's session 9-7 up and, despite losing the first frame after the restart, won four consecutive frames to record a major upset defeating the former world champion.
Murphy will now take on another former champion Steve Davis in the quarter-finals.
