Ronnie O'Sullivan reached the last 16 of the 888 Welsh Open with a 4-1 win over Marco Fu, in the process securing a place at April's World Championship.
Victory ensured O'Sullivan's place in the top 16 of the World Rankings and a place in the first round draw for the Crucible.
Matthew Stevens beat Barry Hawkins 4-3 to set up a meeting with Stephen Maguire, who beat Adam Wicheard 4-2.
Mark Allen also progressed with a 4-0 win over Ken Doherty.
If he had fallen out of the top 16 for the first time since his teens, O'Sullivan, 36, who won the German Masters at the start of this month,would have been forced to qualify for the showpiece tournament in Sheffield.
But he showed good form from the start against Fu, with breaks of 52 and 88 helping secure the first two frames.
He failed to pot a black from its spot before losing the third frame but wrapped up a 4-1 win with a superb 102 break.
Stevens was pushed all the way by Hawkins despite going 2-1 up with an impressive 141, the highest break at the tournament.
Hawkins fought back, with breaks of 71 and 123 helping him to the next two frames, but Stevens drew level once again and secured victory in the final frame.
He will now face Maguire, whose win over Wicheard included back-to-back centuries of 101 and 131.
