Seven-time champion Stephen Hendry survived a test of nerves to book his place at the World Championship at the expense of Yu Delu.
Hendry, 43, succeeded where six-time champion Steve Davis and six-time runner-up Jimmy White both failed this week by coming through the qualifying tournament with a 10-6 win.
"I'm very pleased to be through," Hendry said.
"I'm used to playing at the World Championship and it puts that little bit of extra pressure on you, to have to play an extra match to get there."
Hendry, who last had to qualify in 1988 and has been ever-present at the Crucible since 1986, has fallen to 23rd in the world rankings.
He awaits Monday's draw, knowing he will have to take on one of the 16 seeded players. Hendry also leaves for a business trip to China on Monday, returning on Friday, a day before the World Championship begins.
He is hoping to be among the late starters, affording him the weekend to shake off any jet lag, but that is up to the luck of the draw.
On Sunday he had breaks of 73, 69, 76 and 88 in converting an overnight 6-3 lead into a 10-6 victory. On Saturday he fired in breaks of 129 and 107.
"I played quite nicely," Hendry said. "I won a lot of frames in one visit.
"The most important thing was to just go out with the mindset of needing to win the match, no matter how I played, just get the match won."
