KENT snooker ace Barry Hawkins suffered a surprise 10-9 defeat to qualifier Fergal O’Brien in the World Championships at the Crucible in Sheffield.

Hawkins, the world number 12, was favourite to win when the first-round tie resumed at 4-4 on Monday morning but O’Brien outperformed him and was one frame away from victory at 9-6.

However, Hawkins, from Dartford, had a break of 129 in the 16th and took the next two frames to level the game up at 9-9 and set up a decider.

It was O’Brien who kept his nerve in the 19th, though, to win 71-17 and book a place in the second round.

Hawkins said afterwards: "I fancied cleaning up in the deciding frame but the luck wasn’t with me.

"I haven’t played well all season, but it’s horrible having come back from 9-6 down to level at 9-9 and then get beaten."