Victorious Davis sets sights on second round

Steve Davis was bracing himself for a clash with reigning Crucible king John Higgins after becoming the oldest winner of a match at the Betfred.com World Championship for 21 years.

Davis admitted reaching the second round felt like “climbing a mountain”, and claimed the effort involved amounted to “torture”.

The 52-year-old nevertheless has some way to go before matching the feat of the late Australian Eddie Charlton, who at the age of 59 beat Cliff Thorburn in the first round in 1989 – the year Davis landed the last of his six world titles.

Davis last night ousted his friend Mark King 10-9 in a match which concluded as midnight loomed large.

The pair fought a terrific match which went right down to the final pink.

King, 36, potted it unintentionally when he needed a snooker, and there was no way back.

Higgins, who beat Barry Hawkins on Saturday, will have been pleased by the outcome, having indicated a desire to face his childhood snooker hero in a match which will begin tomorrow evening.

“Considering I haven’t played much competitive snooker that was like climbing a mountain for me,” Davis said.

“I played as solidly as I could even though it wasn’t the greatest, but it was as solid as I’ve been recently, and I got over the line.

“What a feeling. The last frame was torture! It was good to actually win a match here at the Crucible after a few dismal performances here over the past few years, and hold myself together.”

Davis praised King’s determined display.

“He’s like granite, he never gives up,” Davis said. “That’s why I nicknamed him The Weeble many years ago.”

King admitted he had found it hard to cope with a crowd who sided with Davis, but he offered generous praise for his conqueror, saying: “His safety is second to none. The top 16 put together are a mile behind his tactical game.”

Joining Davis in the second round yesterday was title favourite Ronnie O’Sullivan, who withstood a fightback from Liang Wenbo.

Liang closed in from 9-3 to 9-7 but O’Sullivan finished the job with a break of 73.

His next opponent will be fellow former world champion Mark Williams.

The pair exchanged bitter remarks earlier in their careers but O’Sullivan insists they have repaired their relationship.

O’Sullivan said: “I was just going through a rough time. I think I was angry with everybody. It was nothing to do with Mark. Some things you say that you don’t mean at times. I can’t take the words back but I’ve apologised and you move on.”

China’s Ding Junhui today carries an 8-1 lead into the concluding session of his first-round match against England’s Stuart Pettman.

Australian Neil Robertson edged 6-3 ahead of Ireland’s Fergal O’Brien, and Graeme Dott led 7-2 against Peter Ebdon in a repeat of the 2006 final.

England’s Mark Davis – world champion in the six-reds version of the sport - sneaked 5-4 up on Wales’ Ryan Day.