Hong Kong cuesman Marco Fu caused the upset of the world championships so far when he beat 2001 champion Ronnie 'Rocket' O'Sullivan 10-6 in the first round today.
The 25-year-old showed the style that saw him reach a careerhigh ranking of 15 four years ago before he dropped down to 27 andwas forced to qualify for this event as he extended his overnight6-3 lead to a 9-4 margin.
The highlight of his play was a break of 133 to make it 7-3.O'Sullivan hit back to take the next two but the Hong Kong starheld his nerve to ease away with the 16th frame thanks to a break of67 and seal a marvellous victory over the 27-year-old.
"I was very nervous towards the end," admitted Fu. "I have seen the top players come back from similar situations and when he won the next two I thought here we go.
"However I held myself together and it has become one of my bestwins ever. It's a great achievement for me," he added.
Fu put it down to his changing coach and highlighted thedecisive moment as when he kept his cool on the opening sessionafter O'Sullivan had made a 147 maximum break and took the next twoframes to lead 6-3 overnight.
"To be honest it made me play better as I had lost myconcentration in the early stages when Ronnie wasn't playing verywell," said Fu, who also has a televised maximum break to his namehaving done it in the 2000 Regal Masters.
Fu's fellow Asian James Wattana wasn't so fortunate as he saw a6-3 overnight lead over six-time finalist Jimmy White turn into a10-6 defeat earlier today.
White couldn't be knocked out of his stride in today'ssession. He plays fellow Englishman Stephen Lee in the secondround.
Matthew Stevens of Wales meanwhile beat Scotland's Chris Small10-3.