Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-5 Mark Williams
Ronnie O'Sullivan made a winning return in his first major tournament for nine months with a 6-5 victory over Mark Williams in the Masters first round.
Five-time world and Masters champion O'Sullivan took a break from the sport after last April's World Championship.
Trailing 4-2, he won three straight frames before securing his place in the quarter-finals after Williams missed a plant in the decider.
Mark Selby faces Ricky Walden at 19:00 GMT at Alexandra Palace in London.
"I was lucky to get through," O'Sullivan, 40, told BBC Sport. "We both didn't play well.
"When I was 4-2 down, I had nothing to lose and I loosened up a little.
"I didn't feel nervous but it is a nightmare tournament. I only live a few miles away from here. It is mayhem and a circus."
O'Sullivan chose not to play competitive snooker after losing to Stuart Bingham in the 2015 World Championship quarter-finals.
He returned to play in qualifying for the German Masters in December but failed to reach the main stages, winning his first match before suffering a shock defeat against Stuart Carrington.
A miscue in the third frame against two-time world champion Williams seemed to spoil O'Sullivan's rhythm as he struggled in front of a raucous crowd.
However, breaks of 104, 60 and 117 gave him a 5-4 lead, and O'Sullivan sealed victory with a 62 after the Welshman took the match to the final frame.
Mark Selby 6-0 Ricky Walden
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