Ken Doherty was sent toppling out of the Royal London Watches Grand Prix tonight after an unexpected defeat to Joe Perry.
The popular Dubliner, last season's Malta Cup winner, was whitewashed 5-0 at the Aberdeen Exhibition Centre as his Cambridge opponent guaranteed a quarter-final berth.
And following defeat the 1997 world champion admitted: 'My whole career has been like this. I'll play well in one match and not in another.
'That performance was a shock and I'm very disappointed.'
Perry started the better of the two players and a break of 47 secured him the first frame, before a high run of 67 doubled the Chatteris cueman's advantage.
Doherty battled on, but Perry won a scrappy third frame and then nicked a fourth frame which lasted more than half an hour.
Victory was secured in the fifth and final frame with a 40 break as Doherty was left to contemplate what might have been.
'I was in control of myself and I felt solid,' said a delighted Perry, who now plays Stoke qualifier Jamie Cope, tonight's other last 16 winner, in Friday's quarter-finals.
'I worked hard on my game before my baby (Lexie) was born (a fortnight ago) but I did next to nothing after that.
'I was shocked to get through the group stages because I played badly in my first two matches and got a bit lucky.
'Since then I've gone from strength to strength and tonight was my most complete performance for a couple of seasons.
'I feel very relaxed because I know that if I get knocked out I've got a big smile waiting for me at home.
'It hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm a dad. I'm sure it will when the nappies and sleepless night kick-in!
'I want to be spending every minute at home but I'm here to work.'
As for his match with Cope, Perry added: 'He's a frightening player because he's fearless with no battle scars.
'He plays a modern, attacking game and I'll have to play just as well as I did tonight to beat him.'
Cope, who played seven qualifying matches just to reach the tournament proper - winning six of them - was in superb form against Gloucester's Robert Milkins.
After his magnificent maximum 147 clearance against Michael Holt yesterday night, Cope failed to drop a frame in an impressive victory.
Cope - nicknamed 'Shotgun' - edged the first frame, before breaks of 50, 73, 49 and 48 blew Milkins away.
Victory was extra sweet for the 21-year-old - it made sure he progressed to his first ever ranking event quarter-final.
