Jack Lisowski is into the quarter-finals of the UK Championship having beaten Hossein Vafaei 6-4 in York.
Despite reaching three major finals last term, Lisowski has struggled for form this time around with his run to the last eight in North Yorkshire his best performance of the season by some way.
He had to work hard to deny a gallant effort from Vafaei who went down fighting but lost a couple of close frames which, ultimately, proved the difference.
After the first two frames were shared, Vafaei really should have taken the third when putting together a break of 56, only for a missed brown to allow Lisowski to inch in front.
Lisowski then added a run of 82 to lead 3-1, before Vafaei stepped in with a century (115) to cut his deficit to a single frame again.
The nip and tuck nature of the match continued as the pair traded the next four frames, Vafaei just about keeping in touch but Lisowski holding his opponent at arms lengths as he moved within a frame of victory.
That victory came in the tenth frame thanks largely to a break of 54 that set up an intriguing quarter-final clash with Zhao Xintong.
Brecel buries weary Hamilton
Anthony Hamilton's dream run in York ended as he was thumped 6-1 by Luca Brecel, who will face Anthony McGill next.
Hamilton has battled through some gruelling matches already in the past week, but this proved a bridge too far as Brecel raced into a 4-0 lead.
A break of 70 in frame five would be Hamilton's only moment of cheer, Brecel dominating the next two frames to ease into the last eight.
There was joy though for another veteran as 48-year-old Andy Hicks held his nerve to beat David Gilbert 6-5, enough to earn a clash with Barry Hawkins after he saw off Matthew Selt 6-3.
