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Mark Williams survived a real scare against Dominic Dale before booking his place in round two of the Embassy World Snooker Championship at The Crucible.
Williams went into the second session with a strong 6-3 lead, but he was pegged back by his fellow countryman.
Defending champion Williams registered the only century of the evening when knocking in a 108, but Dale battled back and some gritty played saw him level at 7-7.
Williams, who became a father for the first time on Friday, will not give up his title without a fight and he came back strongly to pinch the 15th frame after looking all set to slip behind.
A fine 50 break put Williams in charge of the 16th and, after a bout of safety, he secured the frame with a fantastic double into the middle pocket.
Williams had a good chance to wrap up the match in frame 17, but a poor positional shot saw his break end at 40.
Dale failed to take advantage and Williams eventually edged across the line despite looking nervous in doing so.
The champion can head home to Wales to be with his partner and child before returning to Sheffield for his second round clash on Thursday.
Williams would appear to be unfazed at the prospect of losing, with events away from the table clearly concentrating his mind.
"I got a fright to be fair," said Williams. "But I was relaxed and had plenty of chances to win the match.
"He was playing well and picking the chances off. But I was totally relaxed and would not have been that bothered if I had been beaten."
Commenting on his new family, Williams added: "It is a great experience and fingers crossed they both might be coming home tomorrow.
"It is important to defend the title, but it is just a pity things happen like this at this time so I am not 100 percent on it.
"I am totally concentrated when I am out there, but my mind is elsewhere."
Meanwhile, Devon qualifier Andy Hicks overcame a 2-1 deficit to take a 6-3 overnight lead against Australia's Quinten Hann
Ranked No. 62 in the world, Hicks is four frames away from reaching the last 16 and beating the Irish Masters semi-finalist for the first time in three attempts.
Hicks, who has also been to the last four of the UK Championship and Wembley Masters, potted the vital balls and dominated the safety exchanges to take charge. He drew level at 2-2 with a brown-to-black clearance, sank the final three colours to go 3-2 up and didn't allow Hann a point in frame six.
Hann, thrashed 13-2 by Mark Williams in round two 12 months ago, clinched a 34-minute seventh frame but that proved his last success of the night.
