Ronnie O'Sullivan reeled off six frames in a row to seal a 6-2 win over Anthony McGill in the first round of the UK Championship in York.
O'Sullivan was back in action at the Barbican after withdrawing from the Champion of Champions event in Bolton a fortnight ago, due to being "mentally drained and stressed".
McGill took a 2-0 lead, with a break of 116 in the opening frame, but O’Sullivan fired five half-centuries on his way to winning six frames in a row.
O’Sullivan, who won his first title in York 30 years ago to the day, told the BBC: "You just get to the point where you think, 'I’ll just keep going as long as I can’.
"I was at 35 and I was probably done and dusted because that is what happens.
"But I just appreciate every moment now, it feels like I have got a second life. I am a born-again snooker player."
"I do find the matches hard and long now. If I can win two or three matches in the tournament, you get used to it. I find it harder to concentrate and have the hunger.
"For me, playing in competitions, you have to dig deep and outbattling players, it is hard at my age.
"These tournaments create a bit of a buzz and feel it more."
O’Sullivan will meet Robert Milkins or Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the next round.
John Higgins also advanced through – beating Joe O’Connor 6-3 – with the highlight of his performance coming with an eighth-frame 122 clearance.
