Five-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan edged past 19-year-old Chinese player Yuan Sijun in the second round of the English Open in Crawley.
Yuan, ranked 48th in the world, held a 3-1 lead before breaks of 81 and 84 from O’Sullivan levelled the match.
The world number two then made a break of 87 to move into the third round.
O’Sullivan was again critical of the K2 leisure centre, the venue for the tournament, saying it was barely worth “a one-star” review.
Former world champion Stuart Bingham, who won this event in 2018, lost 4-1 to 17-year-old Chinese player Si Jiahui in round two.
The teenager, ranked 114th in the world, is in his first season as a professional after he advanced through Q School to gain his place on the tour in May and now faces compatriot Zhou Yuelong in the third round.
Wales’ Mark Williams, a three-time world champion, also lost on Wednesday, beaten 4-1 by England’s Michael Holt.
For O’Sullivan, it is the second time in this tournament that he has needed a deciding frame, having beaten Jamie O’Neill 4-3 in round one.
The 43-year-old described the West Sussex venue as “a hellhole” last year, and added that “every day in Crawley is a day lost in my life” after his win over O’Neill.
After beating Yuan on Wednesday, O’Sullivan delivered another withering assessment of the K2.
“You go to a restaurant now and you have got TripAdvisor – you either give it five stars or you give it one star,” he said.
“I think this is a one-star venue, if that.
“Do you want me to lie? Do you think this is a five-star venue? If you think it is, then obviously I am deluded.”
He will next face Iran’s Hossein Vafaei, the world number 31, on Thursday after he beat China’s Chen Feilong 4-2.
O’Sullivan is playing in his first ranking tournament since losing in the opening round of the World Championship in April, although he did win the non-ranking Shanghai Masters last month.
“I’m not used to playing matches, I’ve not played in five months apart from four matches at the Shanghai Masters,” O’Sullivan told Eurosport.
“Everyone else has played seven tournaments so I’m off the pace. This is like an exhibition and I’m having some fun.
“The bigger events are in China [the World Open later this month] and I want to win one of them – that will set me up for the rest of the season.”
Elsewhere, world number nine Kyren Wilson made breaks of 76, 67, 72 and 65 in his 4-3 win over China’s Bai Langning.
Australia’s Neil Robertson gained a 4-2 victory over Hong Kong’s Marco Fu, former world number one Mark Selby defeated Martin O’Donnell 4-1, while there were 4-0 wins for both Mark Allen and Judd Trump, who beat Andy Lee and Daniel Wells respectively.
Sign up to My Sport to follow snooker news on the BBC app.
