Neil Robertson has fallen at the final hurdle of World Snooker Championship qualifying, losing 10-9 to Jamie Jones and failing to reach The Crucible for the first time since 2004.
The former world champion has had a season to forget so far, costing him his place in the top 16 and sending him to the qualifiers at the English Institute of Sport.
The Australian made light work of Zak Surety in his opener, beating the Englishman 10-2 but faced a stiffer test on Judgement Day against Jones, a former Crucible quarter-finalist.
The Welshman was very competitive in the first session, leading 5-4 at the end of the afternoon with a high break of 135 along the way.
Robertson wasn’t playing badly, though, making two tons in that session and then kicked on in the evening, rattling off the first four frames with half-centuries in each.
Jones was not to be brushed aside, though, hitting back with a 101 and a 73 to go back within one and then levelled up, keeping the Aussie’s nerves very much on edge.
The next two frames were shared to take the match to a decider and it was the Welshman who made the running with a break of 60.
He didn’t get the match won there but got over the line for a famous victory for his first ever win over the Aussie.
‘I don’t know what it is about this tournament, I think the longer matches suit me. My style of play is never give up,’ said Jones.
‘Neil has buried me every time I’ve played him before so I don’t have good memories of playing him. But I stuck with him this afternoon, got the lead, then let the lead slip.
‘I don’t know what it is about this tournament, I had a long one in the last frame and I just knew I was going to pot it. I wish I could bottle this and take it with me throughout the season.’
The Crucible first round draw is made at 8.45am on Thursday, on BBC Five Live and available to watch on the BBC website and iPlayer.
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