Shanghai Masters snooker recap - Ronnie O'Sullivan sees off Barry Hawkins in decider, Zhao Xintong wins, Ali Carter stuns Mark Williams
Updated 30/07/2025 at 16:35 GMT+1
Follow our live text coverage of the Shanghai Masters as, on Wednesday, Mark Williams takes on Ali Carter with Ronnie O'Sullivan and Zhao Xintong to follow later in the day, taking on Barry Hawkins and Chris Wakelin respectively. Watch and stream all the action live on TNT Sports and discovery+ as the snooker season clicks into gear.
No-look nightmare as Wilson misses black and chance to make history
Video credit: TNT Sports
O'Sullivan sets up Wilson quarter-final
A nerveless final-frame clearance saw Ronnie O'Sullivan sneak a terrific match with Barry Hawkins, both players hitting an excellent level as they started their season.
In the early stages, it was The Hawk making the running, forging ahead three times only to be hauled back on each occasion. Then, the greatest player of all time made what look to be a decisive move, moving two up with three to play, only for Hawkins to level the match thanks to some terrific snooker.
Hawkins was in first in the decider too, but as pressure intensified, a missed red offered an opportunity, O'Sullivan doing the necessary to set up a last-eight meeting with Kyren Wilson.
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Hawkins produces 'excellent' 106 break to force decider against O'Sullivan
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Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Barry Hawkins 6-5
A great match, featuring two fantastic players hitting a level. Next for Ronnie, it's Kyren Wilson.
O'Sullivan 5-5 Hawkins (67-14)
Ronnie secures the match.
O'Sullivan 5-5 Hawkins (51-14)
Ronnie is nearly there; he's held his nerve the better in this final frame, Barry's miss – which we can, I think, put down to pressure - likely to decide the match. Well, that and Ronnie's all-time brilliance.
O'Sullivan 5-5 Hawkins (37-14)
Pink to the green bag with the rest? Ronnie sees it away, getting the ball back on its spot – a crucial move given the black is surrounded by reds, and you'd back him to do the necessary from here.
O'Sullivan 5-5 Hawkins (4-14)
Addressing a mid-distance diagonal red to left corner, Barry considers, as positionally, there's work to do ... but he misses the pot! So Ronnie gets away well, rockets home a yellow, and now he's the one with the chance to finish the match – though again there's work to do.
O'Sullivan 5-5 Hawkins (0-8)
Dared to take on a pot, Barry refuses, doesn't get a good white, and now it's Ronnie with no choice but to have a go, longish to left corner; he goes hard, misses, and though the colours aren't nicely located, there are planty of reds available. Advantage Bazza!
O'Sullivan 5-5 Hawkins (0-2)
A contact that's thicker than desired – for the second time in a row, leaves a four-ball plant, and I think Barry's going to take it on! He is too, and down go two but where's the white going? Into the jaws of left corner is the answer but, not on a colour, plays a fine safety off the brown and into the baulk rail, Ronnie tapping his approval. He has, though, been left a pot that he'll probably have to attempt given the dearth of other options...
O'Sullivan 5-5 Hawkins
We're going all the way and rightly so.
O'Sullivan 5-4 Hawkins (6-104)
Black to left corner for, improbably, the first ton of the match ... and it's there!
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'Very risky to take this on' - Hawkins fails with plant
Video credit: TNT Sports
O'Sullivan 5-4 Hawkins (6-53)
Diagonal red to middle for the decider ... and Barry calmly slots into the heart of the pocket. Both men have planyed nicely today, looking good for a positive season.
O'Sullivan 5-4 Hawkins (6-53)
This has been a really patient break from Barry, coooly compiling; he was handed the opportunity as he was last frame, but again, he's taking it beautifully.
O'Sullivan 5-4 Hawkins (6-29)
Barry picks off loose balls, a decider looking likelier than not. Let's hope so – after all, it's what we deserve. But he'll need to break some reds to win the frame at this visit...
O'Sullivan 5-4 Hawkins (6-1)
Eeeesh, Barry not only leaves the white short, he develops the black and offers an opener; Ronnie bangs it into left corner and off he goes. But no sooner are we conteplating the end than he plays a poor blue, takes on a thin cut to middle, decelerates, and leaves a chance.
On table one
Zhao 6-2 Wakelin
O'Sullivan 5-4 Hawkins
The run ends there, but this remains a belting contest.
O'Sullivan 5-3 Hawkins (0-88)
Bazza makes the frame his, and is playing well enough to win the next too, a brilliant black sustaining the run.
O'Sullivan 5-3 Hawkins (0-50)
It's impoassible to pick holes in Barry's game, and he's got so much bottle too. This frame should soon be his, a decider within reach.
O'Sullivan 5-3 Hawkins (0-21)
Left a chance to right corner off the break, Ronnie misses and leaves; Barry gets going while, on the other table, Chris applauds along with the crowd as Zhao wins a fourth frame in a row to climch a last-eight, homeland meeting with Ding; that one might be lively!
On table one
Zhao 5-2 Wakelin
But Zhao leads 59-28 with 35 left.
O'Sullivan 5-3 Hawkins
He cannot, jawsing a red on 89, and that's three on the spin for Ronnie. Bazza now needs the same, or he's going home.
O'Sullivan 4-3 Hawkins (72-0)
With a speed that's almost alarming, Ronnie makes the frame safe. Can he finally record a century?
O'Sullivan 4-3 Hawkins (36-0)
Ronnie quickly increases his lead and, in the meantime, Dave asks Dom if he'll win an eighth world title; I agree with the answer of "no".
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'Has he got there? He has not!' - Hawkins misses reds in O'Sullivan clash
Video credit: TNT Sports
O'Sullivan 4-3 Hawkins (12-0)
Playing off a central red, Ronnie catches the jaws of right corner en route back to baulk, leaving the white up the table and a plant for Barry; I'm surprised he takes it on but he does, missing by a way, but might he be saved by going in-off? Er, no: a taxing starter disappears into left corner, Ronnie aware he's leaving loads if he misses, and the decisive move might just be upon us.
On table one
Zhao 5-2 Wakelin
O'Sullivan 4-3 Hawkins
Nope, he needs a diagonal brown to right-middle which stays out, so it's a third 90-odd of the evening and the lead for the first time. Barry beat Ronnie when they last met at the UK Championships, but across his career, he trails 18-4, so.
O'Sullivan 3-3 Hawkins (91-2)
Frame secure, attention turns to a first ton of the season ... and a nasty yellow makes it almosat certain.
O'Sullivan 3-3 Hawkins (49-2)
Ronnie's break-building is off the scale. He's work to do spreading what's left of the pack, but a gentle nudge with the blue accomplishes that, and he'll soon be on front for the first time.
O'Sullivan 3-3 Hawkins (10-2)
Barry blocks off the table with the green, Ronnie's escape leaves a cut ... no position. No matter! The Hawk plays a fine shot in behind the yellow, a second escape leaves the world ... and it happens again! This time, though, Barry can't even hit a colour never mind use it to hide the white, and Ronnie clips in a delicious starter. A brown follows, then another very fine red, and he's developing this into a chance.
On table one
Zhao 4-2 Wakelin
O'Sullivan 3-3 Hawkins
Yup, Ronnie levels the match for a third time, and this is a very enjoyable contest.
O'Sullivan 2-3 Hawkins (41-0)
Trying a skinny one to left-middle, Barry leaves it well short, and that'll surely cost him the frame.
O'Sullivan 2-3 Hawkins (33-0)
Very quickly – thanks mainly to Ronnnie – the majority of reds are in baulk, his lead of 33 worth more than before.
O'Sullivan 2-3 Hawkins (33-0)
And again! Ronnie misses to right-middle, not really getting close, but it doesn't cost him any more than the break, as he leaves nothing.
O'Sullivan 2-3 Hawkins (9-0)
Wow! Barry goes hard at a ball to right corner and it pops out, racing to baulk in a way similar to the one suffered by Ronnie not long ago. How much it'll cost remains to be seen, but he's away and there are reds loose.
On table one
Zhao 3-2 Wakelin
O'Sullivan 2-3 Hawkins
Ronnie won't be happy with the two balls he missed in that frame, and Barry leads for the third time today.
O'Sullivan 2-2 Hawkins (64-53)
Down goes the brown; blue, pink and black off their spots for the frame...
O'Sullivan 2-2 Hawkins (64-43)
A gorgeous safety from Ronnie leaves both reds just above black cush, and Barry with the unenviable task of keeping them safe. He mises first time, then hits, his reward? Another similar shot knowing one more red to his opponent and the frame is over. He leaves on too ... but Ronnie doesn't get that close to an across-the-table cut, so Barry looks to snap in behind it and send it along the rail to right corner ... and it's there. The steal is on!
O'Sullivan 2-2 Hawkins (54-34)
Oooh, Ronnie leaves the chance of a clip from middle to right corner ... and Barry cues home a beauty. But sinking blue to middle, he catches the black, so can only play safe off one of the two remaining reds, both on the top rail; Ronnie quickly promotes both.
O'Sullivan 2-2 Hawkins (54-21)
Rightly so. Ronnie quickly elimintates balls ... but then misses a red to left-middle! No one saw that coming, least of all TMNTPETPUAC, and though he leaves nowt, the frame remains well in the balance.
O'Sullivan 2-2Hawkins (9-21)
Ronnie gets really close to a longun off the break, brings a red up to baulk in the process, and Barrry gets going. Early in the run, the chance to attack the pack materialises, he takes it ... and lands on nowt, so must now work out a way of getting everything safe. He cannot, a starter sent to left corner by way of soft stun, and already, the Hawk will be fearing the worst.
We go again...
On table one
Zhao 2-1 Wakelin
O'Sullivan 2-2 Hawkins
Ronnie needs a cut across the table to drop one into the yellow bag ... and it stops just short, So he'll have to content himself witgh a second 94, the match level once more, and they go to the interview having played a tremendous mini-sesh. See you in 15.
O'Sullivan 1-2 Hawkins (58-0)
Ronnie accumulates like he's been doing it all life, going in and out of baulk off the blue to keep the run going. So far, this contest has been of an extremely high standard.
O'Sullivan 1-2 Hawkins (21-0)
Attacking safety from Bazza, opening the pack, and he thinks he might've got away with it, but there's a pesky genius facing him, who flows in a terrific starter, and off he goes, three good shots quickly facilitating a frame-winning opportunity. He's so, so good at doing that, miles better than anyone else has ever been.
On table one
Zhao 2-1 Wakelin
Chris looks to be enjoying the occasion.
O'Sullivan 1-2 Hawkins
A run of 84 and Barry is back in front.
O'Sullivan 1-1 Hawkins (0-76)
Down it goes, and both players look in good nick.
O'Sullivan 1-1 Hawkins (0-68)
Barry builds, a red just about dropping into right-centre, and he's cueing very nicely as he nears the winning line in the frame. A red taken off the corner of the pack to middle will make it close to certain ... and it's there. Black for a 68 lead with 75 left ... and that's there too. So it's a red along the top rail for the frame....
O'Sullivan 1-1 Hawkins (0-23)
Lovely pot from Barry, tucking in behind a red just below the blue spot and softly sending it to left corner.
O'Sullivan 1-1 Hawkins (0-23)
Using the rest, Barry takes a ball to left corner, but somehow it wobbles in the jaws and stays out; he does well to leave nowt.
O'Sullivan 1-1 Hawkins (0-18)
Barry lands Ronnie behind the green, very nice; the escape falls short, handing him four points and a chance.
On table one
Zhao 2-0 Wakelin
O'Sullivan 1-1 Hawkins
Nope, Ronnie misses a red to the yellow, settles for a 94, and he's into the season.
O'Sullivan 0-1 Hawkins (87-0)
A lovely red, cut from diagonally and down the side into right corner, keeps the run going, and this should be a century.
O'Sullivan 0-1 Hawkins (55-0)
Balls disappear. Ronnie's striking it nicely and playing at the kind of pace that tells you he's feeling alright.
O'Sullivan 0-1 Hawkins (15-0)
Barry misses to left corner and leaves all sorts. There's no one better than Ronnie at picking a route through the balls, and there are plenty there for him.
On table one
Zhao 1-0 Wakelin
A run of 68 and the world champ takes the lead.
O'Sullivan 0-1 Hawkins
Ronnie quickly concedes and Bazza hits the front.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Hawkins (1-61)
With minimium fuss and maximum prejudice, Barry builds a lead, then plays safe with Ronnie needing a snooker.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Hawkins (1-30)
Barry builds, fashioning a scoring opportunity into a frame-winning opportunity. Ronnie's won this title five times and feels realy comfy playing in China, but he won't enjoy his error leading to an opponent's accumulation.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Hawkins (1-8)
A nice opener from Ronnie, slid down the side into left corner, but then he cues across a yellow, allowing Barry – who, unlike many on tour, isn't daunted by him – a go at a table that isn't easy, but has balls available.
Out come our players
And what a welcome for Zhao, China's first world champion.
From earlier
John Higgins 4-6 Xiao Guodong
What a pair of matches we've got coming up
We'll be focusing on Ronnie O'Sullivan v Barry Hawkins, but keeping an eye on Zhao Xintong making his first appearance as world champions, and in front of his home crowd too. Bring 'em on!
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'Devastating display' - Carter completes comeback with century to reach last eight
Video credit: TNT Sports
We go again...
A majestic comeback from Ali Carter saw him come back from 5-2 down to beat Mark Williams 6-5 and set up a last-eight encounter with John Higgins or Xiao Guodong. Only in the competition because Mark Allen pulled out, Carter started with a century break, but Williams soon took over, his blend of potting and safety earning him a 5-2 lead. But after breaking the pack in frame eight, he landed on nothing, and from then on it was all Carter, runs of 93, 78 and 87 earning a decider before a total clearance of 132 – started with a glorious long red – secured his passage into the quarter-finals.
On table two
John Higgins 4-4 Xiao Guodong
Ali Carter beats Mark J Williams 6-5
Runs of 93, 78, 87 and a 132 total clearance give Ali a fantastic victory. Next for him, John Higgins or Xiao Guodong.
Williams 5-5 Carter (0-107)
It's now over 300 points without reply, and worth noting that Ali made the final of the Masters as an alternate. He said before the match he owes Mark Allen, whose spot he took, a drink; moving into the last eight, perhaps he'll even stretch to two.
Williams 5-5 Carter (0-73)
And there it is! Ali has been near-immaculate since going 5-2 down, and it's impossible to exaggerate what an achievement it is to take four on the spin off one of the greats of the game, never mind four on the spin playing this well. Mark has been blitzed.
Williams 5-5 Carter (0-66)
There's no obvious pitfall for Ali; it's more likely he finishes with a ton than doesn't finish. Red-colour for the match...
Williams 5-5 Carter (0-51)
Ali opens the pack but is he on one? Just about, and very quickly he's in a position to clinch f&m at this visit! Who saw this coming at 5-2? Not me, Sir.
Williams 5-5 Carter (0-11)
If we know anything, we know Mark won't be perturbed by what's just happened, but when he dangles a tempter, Ali doesn't demur, stroking a beauty into right corner and getting to work. But he then lands stuck to the blue; no matter, he cuts to left corner, and could this be the end?
On table two
John Higgins 3-4 Xiao Guodong
Williams 5-5 Carter
Ali misses a red down the rail, but a run of 87 is more than enough. He wins his third frame on the spin, and I've not a clue what's going to happen next.
Williams 5-4 Carter (0-66)
Red and any colour to leave Mark needing snookers ... and Ali sorts it, no problem. As we move to a decider, he's got to be the favourite ... except we know Mark's skill and temperament, so.
Williams 5-4 Carter (0-46)
Ali confidently slides a red to middle, and it'd now be a major surprise if this match didn't go all the way.
Williams 5-4 Carter (0-30)
He's flowing now, and though his split, which at first glance looks nice, leaves balls covering each other, he quickly removes a key blocker, and this is a terrific chance to force a decider.
On table two
John Higgins 3-3 Xiao Guodong
Mark takes on a longun and, for the second frame in a row, he misses it, leaving a super-thin cut-back along the side; Ali tickles it home nicely, it takes him nicely on to the blue, and off he goes again...
On table two
John Higgins 3-3 Xiao Guodong
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Williams with nice cross-double to start frame eight of Carter clash
Video credit: TNT Sports
Williams 5-4 Carter
A run of 78 gets Ali back in the match. He needs one more frame to force a decider.
Williams 5-3 Carter (0-53)
This is excellent from Ali, and he's now playing the better snooker.
Williams 5-3 Carter (0-21)
From inside the pack, Ali pokes into left corner, a lovely shot following a yellow nudges a red that liberates the black, and this is a chance to score.
Williams 5-3 Carter (0-9)
Ali digs into the pack, leaving the white close to the jaws of right corner and a thin cut-back black the only ball available; he refuses it, playing a useful safety off the green.
Williams 5-3 Carter (0-8)
Mark steers towards left corner, hits the jaw, and leaves Ali the same ball to the opposite bag; he slots it, it naturally brings him on to the black, and this is another scoring opportunity. Have momentum switched just in the nick of time?
On table two
John Higgins 3-3 Xiao Guodong
Williams 5-3 Carter
Ali clears the balls, a 93 meaning that if he can win the next one too, Mark will start to wonder.
Williams 5-2 Carter (39-59)
Whatever else you might say about Ali, you'd never accuse him of lacking bottle, and he's seized this chance with alacrity.
Williams 5-2 Carter (39-13)
Lovely work from Ali, picking out a starter he can send from right side to left corner. A nice brown follows, made all the harder by the pressure he's under, the reds are now open, and this is a chance to claw back a frame.
Williams 5-2 Carter (39-0)
Unable to break the pack off the blue, Mark mooches down to baulk, slots a stray red along the rail, and goes at it via brown; is he on one? He is not, but he'll back his safety to fashion the next opportunity. Ali will know that one more error means curtains.
Williams 5-2 Carter (17-0)
A cross-double gets Mark going - he's enjoying himself now – and with reds loose plus the black passing to both corners, he'll be eyeing a quick kill.
On table two
John Higgins 3-2 Xiao Guodong
Williams 5-2 Carter
Three in a row for Mark; Ali needs four in a row or he's going hame.
Williams 4-2 Carter (45-18)
He does; of course he does. He hen runs out of position so lays a snooker on the green, blocking the route with the blue; Ali hits but, with two snookers required, soon concedes.
Williams 4-2 Carter (44-18)
Oh Ali! With the rest, he jawses one down the side of the table, and if Mark can send it down, it's going to be 5-2.
Williams 4-2 Carter (43-18)
Oh, but Mark directs a red into the far jaw of left-middle, and this is a chance to get back into the frame; the steal will be much harder at this visit, as black is in baulk, stuck to yellow.
Williams 4-2 Carter (38-7)
Ali loses patience, trying to force the issue with a three-ball plant; the kind of shot you'd never, ever see Mark play. All it does is leave him a chance, and if he can parlay it into 5-2, it'll be a very long way back for the Skip.
Williams 4-2 Carter (21-7)
It's Ali who sinks the next red but on nowt, he plays back to baulk off the pink ... and a flick off the black takes him in behind the brown; is that ball-run changing? Mark's escape leaves one, but the table is unpleasant now, and that one is all Ali can muster.
Williams 4-2 Carter (21-5)
Ali cuts in a fine opener but soon runs out of position, but when Mark misses one you really don't think he will, across the table ... he gets nothing. So far today, the balls are running for him.
Williams 4-2 Carter (21-0)
Nope, a reprieve for Ali: Mark leaves himself in a tricky spot so is forced to play safe; obviously he does so impeccably.
Williams 4-2 Carter (14-0)
Suddenly it looks like the end to what felt a potential epic 15 minutes ago, could come swiftly. A decent safety from Mark, white left on the baulk rail, leaves a difficult safety and Ali catches a stray red on the side rail, keeping the white up the business end. It's going to cost him – probably dearly.
On table two
John Higgins 2-2 Xiao Guodong
Williams 4-2 Carter
A missed blue puts the kibosh on that, but Mark, never one for tons really, won't mind. Ali must now win four before he takes two.
Williams 3-2 Carter (82-22)
Frame his, Mark can turn attention towards registering a second consecutive ton.
Williams 3-2 Carter (59-22)
Ali looked extremely displeased with the miss that facilitated this run because he knew what was likely to happen. Mark is almost there.
Williams 3-2 Carter (1-22)
Oooh, Ali goes at one to right corner, misses, leaves a dolly and, given the table, we might be about to see the decisive move made.
Williams 3-2 Carter (0-22)
Ali runs out of position looking to break pack off blue; that's end of break.
Williams 3-2 Carter (0-16)
Mark catches one thick, leaving a starter and, with a few reds loose and others potentially loose once those close to them have been removed, there's a chance to score here – all the more so as the black passes to both corners.
On table two
John Higgins 2-2 Xiao Guodong
Williams 3-2 Carter
My sense is now as it was at the start: Mark will find enough to win this.
Williams 2-2 Carter (104-0)
Mark secures the frame, parlays it into a ton, and this is a statement as we start the best-of-seven that'll decide this contest.
Williams 2-2 Carter (61-0)
Ali won't be happy that Mark was able to keep the run going by getting on that ball off the blue, but that's the game. He'll soon be behind once more.
Williams 2-2 Carter (20-0)
Left a longun off Ali's break, Mark sticks home a beauty, diagonal and dead straight, then gets to work. There are a fair few long reds, and after going down and up the table potting a blue he inadvertently catches the green ... and is on the next ball, just.
We go again...
On table two
John Higgins 2-0 Xiao Guodong
Williams 2-2 Carter
Two half-centuries haul Ali level, the match brewing into a really entertaining encounter as we go to the interval.
Williams 2-1 Carter (0-67)
Mark tries floating into left-middle from close to the middle of black cush, but slides wide; from here, Ali should do enough, and though he makes a brown harder than it needs to be, he sees it away and we'll go to the interval level.
Williams 2-1 Carter (0-61)
With 75 still on the table, Ali undercuts with the rest, looking to send a red from middle to right corner, and Mark returns with the frame still well alive.
Williams 2-1 Carter (0-48)
A recovery cut-back keeps the run going, Ali returns to prime position, and there's no reason to think he won't level us up again at this visit.
Williams 2-1 Carter (0-11)
Eeesh, Mark shoves a red towards right corner and Ali bangs it down; he'll want to score here, given the whereabouts of the balls.
Williams 2-1 Carter (0-5)
It's a tactical start to frame four, the last before the interval, Ali getting in playing safe; Mark misses his first attempt at landing on a red, hits on his second.
On table two
John Higgins 1-0 Xiao Guodong
Williams 2-1 Carter
Ali will be concerned Mark has started imprecisely and still leads. Rightly so.
Williams 1-1 Carter (61-20)
Patiently, Mark pots balls, various of them not going straight into the pockets, but he keeps recovering until the frame is secure.
Williams 1-1 Carter (20-20)
Sending a red long to the yellow bag, Ali undercuts by a way, Mark just about wobbles in his starter, and begins removing easy balls. He'll probably need to bump the pack, though, and shonuff does so off the blue; from here, he could win the frame.
Williams 1-1 Carter (0-13)
Looking to stroke into left corner, Mark undercuts – he didn't expect that of himself – so Ali gets away, gets on to the black, and gets to work.
On table two
John Higgins 1-0 Xiao Guodong
Williams 1-1 Carter
Mark secures the frame, misses a double ... and with three snookers required, Ali concedes.
Williams 0-1 Carter (35-5)
Ali gets in again and plays safe; Mark responds well enough, then gets in again with a terrific red having won a safety exchange. From here, should level us up
Williams 0-1 Carter (34-5)
Mark accumulates but then leaves the white close to the black spot, not on it as planned; again, he directs his pot, this time a cut-back, into a jaw, the ball has a think, then opts to drop. But have a look! Just as he looks totally settled, he contrives a miss to right corner – who saw that coming, not him for sure – and can Ali punish? He gets away well ... but lands on nowt, so it's a a safety and back to baulk, as Amy Winehouse almost sung.
Williams 0-1 Carter (4-4)
Mark floats towards left corner but the ball stays out; no matter, he leaves nowt, Ali leaves a cut to wobble in and the pocket generously accepts it, as is its wont. A yellow follows, taking him back up the table, and the picking commences. Few, if any, do it better.
On table two
John Higgins 0-0 Xiao Guodong
Williams 0-1 Carter
Lovely from Ali, a run of 131, white totally under his spell, and he forges in front.
Williams 0-0 Carter (1-91)
The table and pockets remain conducive to heavy scoring, and this has looked like a ton from the first ball potted.
Williams 0-0 Carter (1-71)
Ali wasn't actually meant to be here – he was a late replacement for Mark Allen – but will be delighted to here. He won the pot in 2010, which led to his highest ranking of world no 2, and he's hitting it beautifully, securing the frame with minimum fuss.
Williams 0-0 Carter (1-35)
Carefully, Ali builds, opening a few reds, and this is now a frame-winning opportunity.
Williams 0-0 Carter (1-12)
Left one to corner, Mark flows it home but lands inside the pack, surrounded by reds, so finds a decent safety, and this is one of those matchups that I think works really well for him: Ali is, of course, a very fine player, but everything he does, TWPM does better. However a good riposte earns the Captain a starter and there are points available for him.
And off we go!
Here come our players
Morning all
And welcome to the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters. For you today we have:
Mark J WIlliams v Ali Cater, with updates from John Higgins v Xiao Guodong, followed by Ronnie O'Sullivan v Barry Hawkins with updates from Zhao Xintong v Chris Wakelin.
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Thoughts?
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