| Venue: Alexandra Palace, London Dates: 8 January -15 January |
| Coverage: Watch reside on BBC TV and Red Button with uninterrupted protection on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport web site and the BBC Sport app |
Hossein Vafaei produced an outstanding show to maneuver into the quarter-finals of the Masters with a 6-2 win over three-time champion Mark Selby.
The Iranian debutant all the time regarded in management in opposition to an under-par Selby and made three half-centuries and two centuries as he clinched victory.
Earlier on Sunday Shaun Murphy held off a stirring fightback from defending champion Neil Robertson in his 6-4 win.
Murphy now faces Kyren Wilson or Stuart Bingham within the final eight on Friday.
Vafaei, a late entry to one in every of snooker’s most prestigious occasions due to Zhao Xintong’s suspension amid a match-fixing investigation, will meet John Higgins or Jack Lisowski within the final eight on Thursday.
Although Vafaei was making his bow at Alexandra Palace he’s no stranger to the massive event and has now obtained the higher of Selby of their final three conferences at Triple Crown occasions, having crushed the world quantity two within the 2021 and 2022 UK Championship.
He all the time regarded in management in opposition to an out-of-sorts Selby, who uncharacteristically ran out of place a number of instances and was by no means capable of get in entrance after Vafaei pinched the primary body on the black.
While there have been a number of prolonged security exchanges and the rating was tied 2-2 on the mid-session interval, world quantity 19 Vafaei was extra comfy among the many balls.
That was underlined by breaks of 52 and 107 earlier than he reduce unfastened by successful 4 frames on the trot with breaks of 99, 65 and 104.
“Am I asleep or awake? Honestly I can not imagine it,” Vafaei advised BBC Sport.
“Mark Selby is such a tricky opponent. He by no means provides up and is such a legend. It is all the time a terrific match between us. I’m so happy with myself to beat him. He is likely one of the biggest ambassadors now we have.”
Robertson’s revival comes too late
Murphy, the 2015 winner, made breaks of 98, 53, 61 and 100 earlier than sealing his victory in a nervy tenth body.
Robertson, who opened with a 73, went 5-1 down earlier than reeling off three consecutive frames that included breaks of 84 and 104.
“I used to be as stunned as anybody to seek out myself 5-1 forward,” Murphy advised BBC Sport.
“The seventh body will not be on the highlights after which I sat in my chair for 45 minutes whereas he performed snooker from the gods.
“You are pondering ‘he is on the blue, persons are going to say it is a collapse’, but it surely wasn’t in the long run. My sport is nice however I had actually good recommendation from my daughter on Instagram, who mentioned ‘Daddy keep in mind to pot some balls’.
“It was nearly getting the win. And wins in these large gala occasions have been skinny on the bottom for me over the previous couple of seasons.”
Robertson, who needed to return dwelling after initially forgetting his cue, made gentle of a later-than-expected arrival on the venue by claiming the primary body with a break of 73.
That was initially pretty much as good because it obtained for the Australian in a repeat of the 2012 and 2015 finals.
Murphy, whose lengthy potting was wonderful all through, responded with an exquisite 98 and one other half-century earlier than going into the mid-session interval with a wholesome 3-1 lead.
Both gamers suffered lapses of focus within the fifth body, lacking straightforward possibilities on the inexperienced earlier than Murphy prolonged his benefit after Robertson left the pink over the underside proper nook pocket.
A miscued black off its spot was expertly punished within the sixth body as Murphy made a composed 100.
But a scrappy seventh body wherein each gamers had good alternatives laid the platform for a stirring Robertson revival that continued with a swift half-century and a most 147 try that ended after 13 reds and 13 blacks.
However, a missed blue off its spot into the left center after which one other into the identical pocket proved pricey for Robertson within the subsequent and allowed Murphy to wrap up victory and keep away from a final-frame decider.
