STEPHEN HENDRY went into today's session of his 888.com World Snooker Championship match in Sheffield needing just two more frames to seal a record 17th quarter-final place in the event.
Seven-time champion Hendry looked on course to beat Chinese superstar Ding Junhui with a session to spare, racing into a 10-2 lead as Ding struggled to pot a ball.
But Ding regained his composure to win three of the last four frames with breaks
of 93, 94 and 94 to stave off an embarrassing defeat, although at 11-5 he still has a mountain to climb.
Already into the last eight is 2002 champion Peter Ebdon, who beat left-hander Mark King 13-9 with a typically determined display.
Ebdon said: "It was a tactical affair and we both got bogged down a bit. But when you play someone like Mark who plays high-quality safety you have to respond.
"I felt very comfortable with myself out there and I'd like to think that whatever Mark threw at me I would have been equal to.
"I'm very, very pleased to get through to the next round. I feel very well prepared, the long matches suit me and there will be no-one trying harder.
"I've certainly put the work in, physically I'm in great shape and I'm swimming every night if I'm not involved in an evening session. I've had two tough matches and hopefully as the tournament goes on I will get the opportunity to flow, but if not I'm prepared to grind it out."
Ebdon will face either 2005 winner Shaun Murphy or Ali Carter in the quarter-finals, Carter taking a surprise 6-2 lead into today's play.
Murphy has reached the semi-finals or better in six of his last seven events but compiled just one break over 50, Carter starting the session with a break of 97 and ending it with a run of 100.
Defending champion John Higgins was also involved in a tough contest with Welshman Ryan Day, the Scot squandering leads of 4-0 and 6-3 to go into today's final session locked at 8-8.
Two other second-round matches were due to get under way today – pre-tournament favourite Ronnie O'Sullivan taking on fellow double winner Mark Williams and Australian Neil Robertson up against Scotland's Stephen Maguire.
