John Higgins summoned up one of the great Crucible breaks to sink Mark Allen 13-12 and reach the World Championship quarter-finals for the 18th time in his career.
Coming to the table 62 points down in the decider, the 48-year-old played a nerveless double on a red to the middle, and later nailed a red down the top cushion that Stephen Hendry, commentating on the BBC, called "one of the best shots I've ever seen", as he fashioned a 71 clearance to snatch the match.
Higgins had resumed trailing 9-7 and fell a further frame behind before he chiselled a gutsy comeback that ultimately secured his place in the top 16 for next season – and left Antrim man Allen still waiting for his maiden world crown.
The Wizard of Wishaw said afterwards: "I was looking around at 12-12 when Mark was on a break, thinking 'I've loved being out here, I've loved playing here and I'd love to come back again' so to hold myself together, I'm proud of myself."
"I'm pretty good under pressure – I have to give myself a pat on the back. I know people over the last couple of years might be thinking I'm not – but I can still hold it together in these pressure moments."
Just. Wow. 🏴#CazooWorldChampionship | @CazooHelp | @RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/UVyXpYh3hl
— WST (@WeAreWST) April 29, 2024
Higgins will next face Kyren Wilson, who won the three frames required in the afternoon session to complete a 13-6 win over Joe O’Connor.
Wilson took a 10-6 lead into the final session and won a scrappy first frame to move within two of victory.
Another long frame followed as O'Connor looked to peg his opponent back, but there was nothing he could do to stop Wilson from going 12-6 in front.
And Wilson got over the line in the next frame to clinch a straightforward win.
Former champion Stuart Bingham sealed a last-eight clash with Ronnie O’Sullivan after winning the last two frames to overcome Jack Lisowski 13-11.
Lisowski had hauled level with consecutive breaks of 88 and 123 but Bingham, who had battled through qualifying after falling out of the top 16, held his nerve to keep his dream of a second title alive.
O'Sullivan's bid to claim a record eighth Crucible crown remains firmly on track after he beat Ryan Day 13-7.
The 48-year-old went into the third session with a 10-6 lead before winning three out of four frames in just over an hour to make it through.
O’Sullivan made Welshman Day pay for not taking his chances in the opening frame of the third session as he edged a close one 62-57 to stretch his advantage to 11-6.
And the Englishman tightened his grip with a fine break of 85 in the next to get within one frame of the quarters.
The seven-time champion was forced to wait as Day took the third frame of the session 94-5, but O'Sullivan wrapped up victory at the next opportunity.
O'Sullivan told BBC Sport: "I thought Ryan made it tough for me. I thought if I'd not been as tight and as clinical in some situations he probably would have got more of a roll at times.
"So I was pleased to be able to stem that at points and try and have an impact as well when I got a chance.
"Early days for me, I’m just trying this new way of playing, different style of cueing just to get away from the yips – that’s the easiest way of explaining it.
"It’s been hard work for two years and I decided I couldn’t continue playing like that, so I had to make some changes and it’s like the body and the mind are trying to catch up with each other.
"I’ve got some of it right and it’s just the other pieces need to fall in. I’m just trying to work out the puzzle at the moment."
He added: "I’ve had such a long time in the doldrums. Two years I’ve held it down and not really mentioned anything, but it’s been really challenging.
"I’ve even had to take medication for the anxiety and that sort of stuff. Even in small tournaments, even when I’m not playing, that’s how bad the game can make me feel at times.
"So I didn’t want to do that anymore. I just had a bit of excitement the last few weeks feeling that I can get through the ball a bit better, but then you come back crashing down to earth a bit.
"I was out there last night and it started to wander a bit but it was like, 'Can we fix it, can we get back on track?’.
"There was some good bits there today so I’m just getting a bit more belief that I can sustain it."
O'Sullivan also hailed the impact of intermittent fasting on his energy levels and said: "What I do is I try to eat right. I’m intermittent fasting for this tournament because it gives me more energy.
"There’s certain things I do and it doesn’t necessarily mean I’m going to win, I just need every little advantage I can get at this stage.
"This is a tournament of endurance, stamina and concentration. For me, intermittent fasting just gives me a bit more energy.
"Once the tournament’s over, I’ll be back to eating 24 hours a day. There’s times when you have to work out what’s right for you.
"I go a certain period of time where I won’t eat and it’s just amazing the energy you get from it. I’ve always found it works really well for me."
O'Sullivan revealed that he first discovered the benefits of intermittent fasting after a period of illness.
He added: "I got ill and the only way to give my stomach a rest was by not eating. My nutritionist said 'the only thing you can do is not eat’ but obviously you have to eat.
"I was doing it and I went ‘you know what, I love this, it’s great’. I just felt it worked for me.
"That’s 16 [hours] at the moment, 17 sometimes. I try to stop at about 7pm but it’s hard obviously when you’re playing matches. Last night was 8.30pm so I didn’t eat again until about 12:20pm today.
"It feels great, I feel good. I’m 48 and I feel energised. If I eat too much I get really sluggish.
"Animals in the forest, apparently, go days without food and then all of a sudden they get hungry, get their prey, eat it and just digest it for a while. They’re not having three meals a day, it’s just eat when you’re hungry and give your body a rest sometimes."
