Ditton's Barry Hawkins becomes first seed to crash out of World Snooker Championship after 10-7 defeat to Jackson Page

Ditton's Barry Hawkins suffered a surprise first-round exit at the World Snooker Championship.

The No.9 seed and 2013 runner-up lost to Crucible debutant Jackson Page, the Welshman winning 10-7.

Hawkins was the first seed to fall in this year's showpiece and admitted he never found his rhythm as he failed to reach the second round for the first time in 12 years.

"The way he finished in the last two frames was very classy," Hawkins said.

"I thought he might feel the pressure but he looked as if it didn't bother him at all. He has come through the qualifiers and he looked sharp - much sharper than me."

Hawkins has saved some of his best form for the majors this season after reaching the final of the Masters and losing in the last four of the UK Championship, and he showed his class again when he took the first two frames of the final session. Now trailing 6-5, he was in control of the 12th, leading 49-5, but missed a tricky red and Page took advantage.

The match continued to swing back and forth, Hawkins winning the 13th and 15th frames to trail 8-7, but that was as good as it got for him and he failed to score a point from then on as Page racked up two century breaks to book his place in round two.

"The seeds are under pressure in the first round," Hawkins added. "Mark Williams has been saying for years how good Jackson is and I think we saw that today."