Neil Robertson has reached his first world championship quarter-final in five years at the Crucible, where he'll face one of the game's all-time greats.
Australia's master cueman, winner of the tournament back in his 2010 heyday, is playing some of his best snooker again at the age of 44 and cruised into the last eight by sealing a 13-7 victory over England's Chris Wakelin.
But world No.1 Judd Trump wont feature in the quarters after crashing out in a final-frame decider to Hossein Vafaei.
Iranian Vafaei reeled in a 9-7 overnight deficit then turned on the style when it mattered as breaks of 106 and 91 edged him over the line 13-12.
Searching for his second title after his initial breakthrough in 2011, Englishman Trump squandered a hatful of chances including a 25-point lead in the decider when he had looked a heavy favourite to progress.
"It was a disappointing session tonight," said Trump.
"It hurts, but I had my chance and I've got nothing to be angry about. I just wasn't good enough. I wanted to win out there but as you get older you learn to be a little bit more chilled."
Vafaei will next face China's rising star Wu Yize, who also contributed to a day of upsets by sinking four-time champion Mark Selby 13-11.
Leading 10-6 overnight, the "Thunder from Down Under" Robertson lost the first frame of the night with a nervy display, but then never looked back after compiling a 104 run in the next frame, eventually sealing victory with a break of 82 in the 20th rack.
It set him up for a clash against Scotland's four-time champion John Higgins, "the Wizard of Wishaw" who had earlier on Monday (Tuesday AEST) completed an extraordinary comeback to defeat fellow all-time great, seven-time winner Ronnie O'Sullivan, 13-12 in an exhilarating last-frame shootout.
Higgins will start favourite in the blockbuster with the Australian, but Robertson also remains one of the finest players the game has seen.
Like Higgins, the Melburnian is a 'triple crown' winner, having earned triumphs in the game's biggest three events - the world championships, UK championships and Masters.
Robertson will be in the quarters for the ninth time in his glittering career that stretches back to his first appearance at the famed Sheffield venue 21 years ago, but he's had plenty of disappointments at this stage, having only ever three times got into the semis, including his victorious 2010 campaign.
"I would prefer to play John so I don't have to contend with the chalk that Ronnie uses, which should be banned from the game," Robertson told BBC Four.
"I don't know how you are allowed to even use it."
Chalk controversy aside, Robertson will have his work cut out with Higgins, who was outplayed in the early stages of the contest before finding his best form in a brilliant last session to scupper O'Sullivan's chances of a record eighth title.
"It's got to be up there," said Higgins, reflecting on the magnitude of a win from 8-3 and then 9-4 down.
With PA.
