Shanghai Masters - Hawkins edges Higgins on final black in decider, Robertson too strong for Ding

Updated 11/09/2019 at 15:43 GMT

Barry Hawkins edged out John Higgins in a thrilling final-frame decider to reach the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals.

Barry Hawkins of England in action during his first round match against Kyren Wilson of England

Image credit: Getty Images

A tournament-high 142 helped Hawkins take a 3-1 lead, but Higgins hit back with two centuries of his own (107 and 138) to trail 4-3.

Hawkins then moved within a frame of victory, only for Higgins to win the next two and take it to an 11th and final frame.

And it went right down to the wire, with Hawkins sinking all six colours after a safety exchange to win the decider 66-60 and book a last-eight meeting with Neil Robertson.

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A strong start from Robertson helped the Australian overcome Ding Junhui to reach the last eight.

Robertson, the 2010 world champion, raced to a 4-0 lead with breaks of 72, 82, 101 and 69.

Ding fought back, but the two-time winner in Shanghai could not turn the match around, losing 6-3 as Robertson posted 71 in the ninth and final frame.

Robertson will face the winner of the final round-two match between John Higgins and Barry Hawkins.

Meanwhile, reigning world champion Judd Trump advanced to the last eight with a 6-4 victory over David Gilbert.

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Trump lost the first frame before reeling off four frames in a row, and though breaks of 111 and 86 helped Gilbert reduce the deficit, world No 1 Trump hit a century of his own to close out the match.

Mark Allen will face Trump in the quarters after the seventh seed edged past Liang Wenbo 6-5.

Wenbo opened with a 130 break before going 3-1 up, only for Allen to lead 4-3 and then lose the next two frames.

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Allen held his nerve though, as a break of 72 helped him level before he won the decider 88-38.

The last-eight matches will take place on Thursday, with defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan already through to play Kyren Wilson, while Shaun Murphy is up against Jack Lisowski.