Two-time Masters champion John Higgins is safely into the quarter-finals having comfortably outpointed UK Championship hero Zhao Xintong at Alexandra Palace.
The veteran Scot, runner-up when this event was staged in Milton Keynes last year, didn't need to be at his best to progress to the last eight, but still managed two century breaks in a typically professional performance.
The match started with a bang as the pair traded centuries in the opening two frames, but Higgins assumed control of the contest when leading 3-1 at the mid-session interval and rarely looked likely to loosen his grip on proceedings thereafter.
3-1 soon became 4-1 as Higgins thumped in a glorious 104 in the fifth frame, and though Zhao rallied by taking the next, Higgins dominated frames seven and eight to close out the match and set up a meeting with old foe Mark Williams on Thursday.
"He makes it look ridiculously easy"
— World Snooker Tour (@WeAreWST) January 10, 2022
John Higgins is a fan of Zhao Xintong.
However, the 31-time ranking event winner outplayed the UK Champion today in round one of the @CazooUK Masters #CazooMasters pic.twitter.com/J3OVHJauwQ
On the quarter-final clash, Higgins told BBC Sport: "I think when we used to play, maybe 10 years ago, maybe there was more rivalry.
"I can’t speak for the other two guys, but when I go out and I’m across from Mark and Ronnie, there’s a sense of now you’re proud that you’re still there, you’re still competing.
"I look up to those guys, I think they’re two amazing players. I’ll just go out on Thursday night and hopefully we’ll have a great match."
Barry Hawkins secured a popular 6-2 victory over Shaun Murphy in a match between two players looking for an injection of confidence.
Hawkins should have it after responding to going 2-1 down with breaks of 67, 60, 103 and 69 to sweep past Murphy, who suffered his fifth first-round defeat of the season and has only once been past round two.
They call this a monster fluke, don't they?
— World Snooker Tour (@WeAreWST) January 10, 2022
📺💻📱 BBC / Eurosport / https://t.co/0mCRoqdsmX#CazooMasters @CazooUK pic.twitter.com/qHrGs4Hk8s
"First time I've felt like a snooker player all season," said Hawkins, who has also struggled at times but reached the semi-finals of the UK Championship before Christmas. "I felt quietly confident in my game. After the interval I played much stronger."
Of the venue, he added: "What a fantastic atmosphere to play in, unbelievable to be playing in this venue again after what we've been through."
He will face either Mark Selby or Stephen Maguire in the quarter-finals.
