Ali Carter was certainly being made to sweat on his place at the Champion of Champions as the International Championship reached the last-16 stage, with a host of big names and already-qualified players crashing out early on.
These possible winners included Neil Robertson, Judd Trump, Shaun Murphy, Barry Hawkins, John Higgins, Stephen Maguire and Dominic Dale. At the third-round stage Carter could still look to the winner of the Stuart Bingham/Mark Allen match, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Marco Fu and Ricky Walden.
Any of those lifting the trophy would see him make it to Coventry, with any other winner bar those five potentially snatching the 16th and final place at the Ricoh Arena.