Judd Trump remains on course to capture the European Masters – but only after a massive stroke of fortune in his last-16 encounter with Farakh Ajaib.
Trump had been as short as 1/50 to beat an opponent whose wins at tour level have been few and far between, and those odds only hardened after an opening 102 break.
Trump added the second frame, at which point it was a short price the whitewash, but Ajaib kept fighting and was back level at 4-4 following runs of 69 and 51 in frame eight.
The 31-year-old then took control of the biggest frame of his life and with blue, pink and black left on the table, Trump needed a snooker if he was going to avoid a massive upset.
Having laid one, Trump watched on as Ajaib hit the blue as required, only for the cue ball to run the length of the table and find its way to a pocket.
That left a chance for Trump and though the final black was tricky – and with Ajaib unable to watch – he rolled it in to advance to the quarter-finals, where he'll face Barry Hawkins.
"He was probably the better player," confessed Trump. "He looked like he was hitting the ball well, his long potting was good... I knew from the way he was playing it was going to be a tough game. He looks to have improved a hell of a lot.
"He dug in well, started scoring well, he was really fluent in amongst the balls. With only three balls left and the black on the cushion you give up all hope, (it was) a bit of a miracle really.
"Still a tricky black under pressure down the rail, so I'm happy about that."
Trump continued to pay tribute to his opponent, adding: "He looked really at home out there to me. I don't think he had a great run when he was on tour before, but whatever he's done is working. He looks to me as if he could shoot up the ranking at any point.
"If he can keep up that form there's no doubt he'll be in at the deep end of a few events."
Asked if he empathised with opponents in such scenarios, Trump admitted: "Normally not a lot! But to be honest, I knew he outplayed me. Even though I'd have been really disappointed to have lost, it was one of those rare occasions that I did feel I got out of jail there."
