Shaun Murphy reckons the break he made in the deciding frame to beat Fan Zhengyi 10-9 on Tuesday night is the best he has ever managed at the Crucible.
The Magician survived a scare against Fan in the opening round of the World Snooker Championship, as he kept up the run of every single seeded player so far winning in the first round.
11 seeds have prospered since the tournament began on Saturday with no qualifier yet to win, but five more will try over the next two days.
It was a brilliant battle between Murphy and the former European Masters champion and from 3-3 each man won alternate frames all the way to 9-9.
Then came the ultimate drama as the Englishman spurned a couple of chances and Fan got in to build a lead.
The 25-year-old was 53-17 ahead when he took on a tricky red to middle which he narrowly missed and left on for Murphy.
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That red may have been on, but the other remaining three were awkward and the black on the top cushion.
A clearance looked unlikely but Murphy produced an immense break of 50 to clear to the pink and book his spot in the last 16.
It may not have been the biggest break he has ever made at the Crucible, but the 2005 champion reckons it was his best.
‘Of all the breaks I’ve ever made at the Crucible, that’s the best I’ve ever made,’ he told TNT Sports.
‘All the centuries and the fancy shots, I was literally out for the count there, the balls gave me one more chance to see what I’ve got. That’s the best break I’ve ever made at the Crucible.’
Speaking in his post-match press conference, he added: ‘I was sat in my chair preparing my loser’s speech.
‘When he played the red, from where I was sat I thought it was in and I was ready to shake his hand. But the game wasn’t done with me and it offered me that one last chance.
‘I can’t believe that I’ve won the frame and the match from that position where the balls were. Of all the breaks I’ve ever made at the Crucible, and there have been some good ones, that’s the best one I’ve ever made.
‘To stand up there, when it mattered the most, to clear up from there, I’m so proud.’
This was Fan’s third appearance at the Crucible and the wait goes on for his first victory at the venue, but Murphy expects them to come.
‘I thought Fan Zhengyi played a great match. What a player,’ he said. ‘You could see he fancied it, he was hunting round the table.
‘He had more than a foot in the last 16. I hope he goes away, watches the game and is proud of himself, proud of his performance, comes back next season and keeps going, I think he’s going to have a great career.’
Murphy faces Xiao Guodong in the last 16 over three sessions on Thursday and Friday.