GWENT’S Lee Walker meets women’s world number one Reanne Evans in World Championship qualifying on Sunday after a nervy 10-8 win over close friend Matthew Stevens last night.

Walker, from Newbridge, survived a spirited fightback from fellow Welshman Stevens at the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre to prevail in the first round clash.

Having taken a 6-1 lead into the second session of the match in Sheffield, Walker saw his advantage wiped out by the start of frame 15 with the scores at 7-7.

However, breaks of 59 and 89 took him two clear and, although Stevens won the next with a run of 87, Walker clinched the 18th frame to scramble his way over the finish line.

Walker, 41, will now turn his attention to 11-times women’s world champion Evans, who beat Finland’s Robin Hull 10-8 yesterday.

If she does reach the Crucible then 31-year-old Evans, who accepted an invitation to play in qualifying, would be the first female to feature in the television stages of the World Championship.

She had trailed Hull 7-6 and 8-7 but won the last three frames to clinch a famous triumph.

“This is my best win,” said Evans. “Robin is an amazing player.

“I felt really good out there. If I had lost I would had felt even more gutted than a couple of years ago against Ken (Doherty, who beat her 10-8 in 2015 qualifying).

“When it went 8-8 I thought ‘oh no, not again’ but I stuck in well. I felt nervous but I had them under control.”

Meanwhile, Ebbw Vale’s Jackson Page is just three wins away from reaching the World Championship and a place in the history books.

If he does manage to come through qualifying, starting today against England’s Martin O’Donnell, then Page, at 15, would become the youngest player to appear at the Crucible.

Belgium’s Luca Brecel currently holds the record after making his worlds debut aged 17 in 2012.

It has been a rapid rise to stardom for Page, who accepted an invite to Ponds Forge, following his world under-18 title success last August.

As a wildcard, he reached the third round of the Welsh Open in February and was then crowned European under-18 champion in March.

O’Donnell, 30, turned professional in 2012 and is currently world number 75.

Newport's Ian Preece takes a 5-3 lead into the second session of his round one clash with Ian Burns.