Reanne Evans's bid to become the first woman to play in the main draw of the World Championship remained on course after she trailed former champion Ken Doherty by just one frame after the opening session of their qualifying match in Sheffield on Thursday.
Evans was 5-4 behind in the best-of-19 frame clash with 1997 title-winner Doherty ahead of the resumption at 7:00pm local time (1800 GMT) Thursday.
But whoever wins this match will still have to come through two more qualifying rounds to book their place in the first round proper of the World Championship at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre in northern England.
Ireland's Doherty won the first frame with a break of 45 but Evans then won three frames in a row, including a break of 51 in the fourth.
Doherty's efforts of 51 and 64 squared the match but Evans produced a composed clearance from the final red to the pink in the seventh to regain the lead.
She then demonstrated her ability to pot with both hands by slotting an awkward red along the cushion left-handed.
But Evans couldn't overcome a 65-point deficit and Doherty made it 4-4 before winning the ninth frame as well.
Apart from the odd 'power shot' there is, in theory, no reason why snooker cannot be a 'mixed' sport.
But the likes of Britain's former women's world champion Allison Fisher, feeling they were denied opportunities, have since gone on to enjoy lucrative careers on the female North American pool circuit.
Source: AFP