Anthony McGill produced an impressive performance to come through qualifying and return to the Crucible, but says it was despite tortuous conditions at the English Institute of Sport.
The Scot recovered from 0-3 down to beat Cao Yupeng 10-6, knocking in a ton and eight half-centuries en route to a fine win.
That came after downing John Astley 10-9 in the previous round, which was expected, but took some doing from 7-9 down.
The Glaswegian is delighted to be back at the Crucible, for the ninth season on the spin, and will be hoping that the table is playing a bit more favourably at the iconic venue.
‘It’s easier coming from 0-3 down than 9-7! I wouldn’t call it a comeback today, I got off to a bad start and Yupeng looked much better,’ McGill said after the win.
‘Something changed, I’m not quite sure what, I was amazed to come out 6-3 [after the afternoon session], I’d have taken 4-5 down, I just couldn’t believe it.
‘I was struggling with the table, it was tough, really tough for a new cloth, it was so slow you couldn’t get any grip on the bed, the spin on the white to play the shots. It was rolling off as well.
‘The first four frames I lost my head. I kind of lost my head all match with the table, not too professional of me, unfortunately.
‘But I just tried to enjoy the match. At 3-1 down I accepted it was going to wind me up, but I can’t control it. I just tried to enjoy being here, these are the days you look back on, you don’t want to be in the qualifying rounds but it’s an occasion, and I think that helped me.’
McGill will already have forgotten those testing conditions, though, as he returns to the Crucible where he has impressed in the past, once a semi-finalist and twice a quarter-finalist.
Having beaten the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Selby at the Crucible, none of the world’s top 16 will want to see his name in the draw.
‘I’m looking forward to playing again, it is a privilege, it is the historic venue in our sport,’ he said.
‘I’ll enjoy tonight because it’s an achievement to come through these rounds. It’s extremely difficult. I think it’s the fifth time I’ve qualified, it’s a great record, so I’ll try to do some damage.’
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