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Shaun Murphy warned Crucible challengers of his improving all-round game after he battled with a chest infection to overcome James Wattana on the opening day of the 888.com World Championship.
Murphy, 23, potted his way to the title in Sheffield a year ago but showed the tactical side of his game against Wattana, compiling only two half-centuries in the 10-4 win.
It was tough work for Murphy, who is based in nearby Rotherham, as illness hampered his preparations.
However, he believes he can build on the first-round victory if he can get some rest and start building breaks again.
"I got about half an hour sleep the night before," said Murphy.
"My head is really hurting, my throat is sore and I can't get my breath. I've got an infection and my body is trying to fight it, my body's doing very strange things.
"I've been speaking to people who have had it and they say I'm looking all right and I'm due to hit the worst of it, but I feel a lot better every day even though I don't sound any better - I sound like Barry White.
"That's a good win against James without making a 60 break. On Thursday, if I feel a lot better and get my scoring boots on, I could cause some damage.
"My safety and tactical game is much better and if I get my potting boots on then everyone knows what can happen."
Despite establishing a 6-1 lead, Wattana pegged back the champion and was within sight of making it 6-5 before missing a black off the spot, with Murphy taking the remaining frames.
"That was probably a turning point because any momentum that was around swung in my favour and I won a few frames," Murphy added.
Wattana said: "I had my chances and kept missing easy shots and crucial balls time and time again."
Murphy was wary of falling to the 'first-round jinx' which former champions have been struck by, including his likely second-round opponent Steve Davis.
"I remember watching the 1982 video when Steve lost 10-1 (to Tony Knowles) and I remember saying 'If I win, I don't want to go out in the first round'," Murphy added.
Davis trudged into a 6-2 lead over Andy Hicks on the opening day of this year's tournament, with play stopped for the day a frame early due to the slow progress made by the two players.
Elsewhere on the opening day, Mark Selby was within sight of an upset after establishing a 6-3 lead against John Higgins.
Higgins, the in-form player and strongly fancied in Sheffield following victories in the SAGA Insurance Masters and the Grand Prix this season, struggled against his 22-year-old opponent and was edged out of the opening two frames.
Selby could have established a three-frame lead but potted the white ball off the final red to allow Higgins to get off the mark.
However, the 22-year-old Selby, who was knocked out of the competition by Higgins at the same stage a year ago, kept his nose in front with half-centuries in the sixth and seventh frames.
Higgins registered a 119 break in the next frame - the first century of the tournament - but the match will resume on the second day with Selby three frames ahead after he took the final frame of the session.
Graeme Dott, meanwhile, stormed into a 7-2 lead against former world champion John Parrott.
