Ken Doherty's bid to make the Crucible for the first time in six years ended this afternoon with a 6-3 loss to Mark King.
The defeat means that the 50-year-old has lost his tour card in the process and will need an invitation to play on the circuit next year.
Doherty received an invitational tour card in 2017 and will need another if he is to get a World Snooker tour card.
King had taken a 5-1 lead in the third round of the qualifiers but Ranelagh man Doherty fought back with a break of 80 making it 5-3.
But fellow veteran King, 46, won the next frame to leave him just one win away from appearing at the World Snooker Championships again.
Thanking fans for their words of encouragement after today's defeat, Doherty said: "Disappointing to lose and not be playing at the Crucible this year, congrats to Mark King he played great and good luck to him.
"Let’s see what happens, thanks."
Doherty won the 1997 World Championships and made the 1998 and 2003 finals of snooker's most prestigious event.
