Ali Carter and Ricky Walden were left gutted with their performances as they were beaten by Stephen Maguire and Tom Ford respectively at the World Snooker Championship.
The Captain slogged it out with Maguire despite not playing his best and was level at 7-7 before the Scot dived over the finishing line and gave a fist pump to the Sheffield crowd.
It is back-to-back first round exits at the Crucible for Carter and was extremely frustrated that he could not produce some of the fine form he has shown in other events over the last 18 months.
‘Yeah no good at all was I,’ Carter told Eurosport. ‘Hung in there the whole time, done well to be 7-7, playing probably the worst match I’ve played all season, really struggled.
‘Probably nothing left in the tank at the end of the season, disappointing. I thought Stephen played well, it was a tough match really, I just didn’t make the most of my chances then the game hits you where it hurts.
‘He had a three or four lashes at long balls, got away with it every time had a couple of massive flukes when it looked like I was getting a stranglehold on the match, that’s all it takes sometimes.
‘On any given day it cane go wrong for you, that wasn’t my day today, disappointed with my performance. But we look forward to a few months off now and come back stronger next year.’
Maguire admitted that his show of emotion at the end was rare, but showed a tough a test he had come through against Carter.
‘I hardly ever do that, just a wee clenched fist, but it was a tough, tough match,’ he said.
‘I’ve never won this, I’ve never really done well in the tournament, so I’m just thinking about the next match.’
Walden knocked in a brilliant break of 142 but struggled for any kind of consistency in a 10-6 loss to Tom Ford.
‘Pretty gutted to be honest,’ he said. ‘I didn’t turn up all game and couldn’t get my game out there, couldn’t score like I normally can, got completely outplayed to be honest. A pretty rubbish few days.’
Ford picked up his first Crucible win after four first round exits so far and he was beaming, which is not always the case for 40-year-old.
‘I’m actually smiling for a change!’ Ford said. ‘It feels good. I didn’t realise it would feel this good to be honest. I’ve come here and lost the last four times, put a lot of pressure on myself, but the relief of winning that first game, it does feel good.’
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