"Simon did say to me he'd throw the game" - Damon Heta recalls Whitlock's emergency toilet break at UK Open

Damon Heta is in the quarter-finals of the UK Open for the second time in his career. 'The Heat' was too strong for Gian van Veen at the last sixteen with 10-8.

Heta had also dealt with Nathan Aspinall (10-9) earlier in the day at the last 32. "I'm up for it! I could play another game right now, that's how I feel, it's brilliant," Heta reflected in his post-match press conference. "Gian is the future as well. He can play, I know that firsthand."

The Australian also touched on a remarkable incident that occurred during his fourth-round match against compatriot Simon Whitlock, where in a crucial leg, Whitlock needed to pause things for an emergency toilet break.

"It was funny, it was. I didn't know the rules at the time and but you know what, I took Hue Ware's word for whatever's going on and just rolled with it," Heta says. "Simon did say to me he'd throw the game and give it to me. He just said, look I've got to go."

Heta is still three games away from a first major win. "I regularly practice for hours at a time, so I'm not afraid of a long day. I know I have it in me to win a major, in the past I've had some bad luck, but maybe this will be my weekend."

In the quarterfinals this afternoon, Heta will take on Luke Littler.