Ebdon out after 6-1 trashing from Lee
And to rub salt into the wound the former world and UK champion missed the chance of a memorable maximum break in his 6-1 defeat.
Ebdon trailed 5-0 and broke down on a break of 105 with a total clearance in sight at Wembley Arena.
Uncharacteristically the 2002 Crucible champion missed a simple black with just the colours remaining – and it cost him an additional £35,000 in prize money.
“I got what I deserved today, I got punished and never really got into the game,” said Ebdon.
“I really felt I was going to do it (maximum break) this time. My focus was good and my concentration was good all the way through but you don’t expect to over-cut a black like that.”
Lee had two breaks of 40 to win the opening frame before two breaks of 41 doubled the Wiltshire player’s advantage.
Ebdon got in during the next frame with a break of 48 but missed a pink and Lee punished him with a cool 87 clearance to lead 3-0.
He went 4-0 up thanks to a break of 54 before the world number 13, a former Masters semi-finalist, edged within one frame of victory by winning a scrappy fifth frame.
The chance of a maximum was lost in the next frame as Ebdon fell agonisingly short, although he did reduce his arrears.
But the damage had been done and with a break of 61 Lee made sure of victory and a place in the next phase, where he will now meet either Hong Kong’s Marco Fu, this season’s Aberdeen Grand Prix winner, or Chinese sensation Ding Junhui.
“It was a strange game, he never settled and kept giving me some nice chances,” said Lee.
“It could have gone 2-2 but I cleared up to go 3-0 and he missed a lot of balls out there. That’s probably the most chances I’ve had in the last couple of seasons.
“But you’ve still got to put those chances away. He’s good enough to get back in the match at any given time, so I had to stay focused. I haven’t got over the line enough this season and I chucked him a few lifelines.
“He’s one of the toughest competitors I’ve ever played but I felt good when I went 3-0.”
* Late last night Marco Fu won the all Chinese battle by beating Ding Junhui 6-3.
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