John Parrott began his 25th season as a professional with a narrow 5-4 victory over Mark Joyce to reach the final qualifying round of the Shanghai Masters in Prestatyn today.
Parrott, 43, made a winning 53 break to secure the decider and set up a meeting with Jamie Cope, the runner-up in last April's China Open.
The 1991 world and UK champion ended last season in style by beating fellow veteran Steve Davis 10-9 in the first round of the 888.com World Championship and holding Shaun Murphy to 8-8 before going down 13-8.
In front of just a handful of spectators at the Pontin's holiday centre, Parrott won two black-ball frames on the way to leading 3-0 before Joyce clawed his way back into contention.
Joyce held the advantage in the decider before Parrott's 53 got the Liverpudlian over the line.
Parrott begins the new campaign in 31st place on the provisional rankings and will provide the opening round opposition for newly crowned world champion John Higgins in Shanghai if he gets past Cope.
Alan McManus, the 1994 Wembley Masters champion, compiled breaks of 61, 54, 55 and 56 in beating Alfie Burden 5-1.
Judd Trump, 17, who last season became the third youngest player ever to compete at the Crucible, let slip a 4-2 lead in losing 5-4 to Adrian Gunnell, who won the decider with a break of 77.
