(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-04-29 10:10

SHEFFIELD, England - Qualifier Liang Wenbo became the first Chinese to reach the quarter-finals of the snooker world championship when he came through a tense deciding frame against Joe Swail to win 13-12 on Monday.

China's Liang Wenbo, pictured in 2006, is on course to emulate his shock win over former champion Ken Doherty as he built a commanding lead in his second round clash with Joe Swail at the World Championships on Sunday. [Agencies]

Leading 9-7 at the start of the final session, the 21-year-old moved to within a frame of victory at 12-8.

He then saw Swail reel off four frames in a row to level at 12-12. The Northern Ireland player looked on course to win in the final frame before a missed brown handed victory to Wenbo.

Wenbo, who is making his debut at The Crucible, will now face tournament favourite Ronnie O'Sullivan for a place in the last four. O'Sullivan made a maximum 147 break on his way to beating fellow Briton Mark Williams 13-7 earlier in the day.