Two-time finalist Carter overcomes neck issue to reach Crucible

Two-time Crucible finalist Ali Carter overcame a cervix wounded to book his spot successful nan first information of nan World Championship pinch a 10-5 triumph complete China's He Guoqiang successful qualifying.

The 45-year-old Englishman established a 4-0 lead early connected but was pegged backmost to 4-3 earlier assuming power again to return six of nan adjacent 8 frames arsenic he sealed his win.

"I person had a unspeakable cervix ache to nan grade I was successful excruciating symptom playing Ian Burns and if I had gone 6-3 down I was earnestly going to withdraw," said Carter, who astatine 18th successful nan world, is nan highest-ranked subordinate to travel done nan qualification rounds.

"I managed to clear up to spell 5-4 and past I played immoderate decent worldly successful nan evening.

"I was successful agony and it is still not correct now but I americium battling through. A batch of players get problems pinch their necks because we are successful a different position down connected shots. I tin get location and effort and get immoderate physiotherapy."

The tie for nan opening information of matches astatine snooker's blue-riband arena will return spot connected Thursday astatine 08:45 BST connected BBC Radio 5 Live, pinch it besides being streamed connected nan BBC Sport website and BBC iplayer.

The World Championship gets nether measurement astatine 10:00 BST connected Saturday, 19 April, pinch defending champion and apical seed Kyren Wilson successful action.

The last takes spot complete 2 days starting connected Sunday, 4 May, pinch £500,000 for nan winner.

Joe O'Connor is among those who joined Carter successful reaching nan televised stages of nan tourney astatine nan Crucible Theatre successful Sheffield.

The 29-year-old from Leicester defeated Jackson Page 10-7 conscionable days aft the Welshman made history by becoming nan first subordinate to ever compile 2 maximum 147 breaks successful nan aforesaid match.

Page's only consolation is that he earned a £147,000 prize for achieving snooker perfection crossed 1 of nan sport's 4 awesome competitions (Saudi Arabia Masters, UK Championship, The Masters and nan World Championship).

Another two-time finalist Matthew Stevens was edged retired successful a final-frame decider, losing 10-9 to China's Wu Yize.

Fan Zhengyi defeated Michael Holt 10-4 while Iran's Hossein Vafaei crafted 5 period breaks connected his measurement to a comfortable 10-4 triumph complete Wang Yuchen.

Pang Junxu progressed past Jamie Jones 10-6, Lei Peifan came from 9-8 down to triumph 10-9 against his Chinese compatriot and amateur Gao Yang.

Meanwhile, Matthew Selt trailed 8-3 earlier reeling disconnected 7 frames retired of 8 to triumph 10-9 against chap Englishman Jimmy Robertson.