European Masters snooker 2023 as it happened – Wins for Judd Trump and John Higgins after Luca Brecel edges thriller

We’ll be back with you tomorrow afternoon. Ta-ra!

Judd Trump 5-0 Ben Woolaston

Ricky Walden 3-2 Ashley Carty

Kyren Wilson 5-0 Duane Jones

That’s a superb performance from the Wiz, who is still a bit good. He meets Kyren Wilson next.

John removes a few more balls then runs out of position so plays safe, 50 in front with 51 left. Shaun is struggling here.

Shaun lays a snooker, John misses just … and trying to guide one red past another into right corner he overcompensates, overcutting, and might this be curtains?

John leaves a red to right corner and Shaun drains it really well then takes on a black with the rest though other balls are easier. He bags it but leaves himself a tricky red – despatched – but you can only chase so long, and it’s a safety next.

John runs out of position so plays safe, sticking the green safe. A third visit of 20-ish and the match will be almost over.

Ah. An error gives John another go and he’s fairly racing around the table lest someone confiscate this opportunity while he’s not watching. F&M are there for him.

John slides a wondrous oblique cut into left-middle, adds a blue then another fine red, and he’s onto the black. A lovely pot drains that, it’s into the pack, and a terrific thin cut on another black. But that’s end of break; Shaun will be relieved.

Judd Trump 5-0 Ben Woolaston

Ricky Walden 2-2 Ashley Carty

Kyren Wilson 5-0 Duane Jones

Shaun’s back pleased with himself. He can win from here and both players know it.

John takes on a long red, and Shaun’s gizzard will be in his mouth, but he can’t steer it down. And look at that! A red, sent up the table diagonally and into right corner – from near the yellow spot! – then a black, and this is over.

Fine recovery from Shaun, who nips a red along the side rail into left corner. He should clinch the frame from here, but comes up the table instead of staying down, has to take on a hard one to the yellow, misses, and will be wary of being higginsed by Higgins. But I’d still expect him to clinch the frame at some point.

John hangs his head, having missed a clunk to right corner that leaves Shaun a helpful starter. He knows he can reel off four straight against anyone when he’s on it, but he also knows that he needs to because he hasn’t been. He’s quickly into the pack, trying to make this chance count.

Judd Trump 5-0 Ben Woolaston

Ricky Walden 2-2 Ashley Carty

Kyren Wilson 4-0 Duane Jones

This is the best I’ve seen John play in a while and the worst I’ve seen Shaun.

Shaun tries to send red into knuckle and off up the table; instead he pots it, doesn’t land on a colour, and now requires four snookers. John lashes it down long – he’s feeling himself! – and looks impregnable.

John clears to the last red before running out of position and leaving Shaun needing two snookers

Oh dear. Shaun misses a pretty simple black to left corner, and this is really odd. He played well last season, especially towards the end, is playing well this and made a century in frame one of this match … but since then has played poorly. So when John plays a poor positional shot, he opts to take on a thin cut to left corner, drains it, tucks in behind the green … and Shaun misses with his escape, somehow coming around the back of a side-cushioned red. He’ll feel that’s just how it’s going for him tonight, and with John left in this is almost an ex-frame.

Oh Shaun. He catches the top rail trying to cut a red fine to right corner so the ball wobbles in the jaws; John sees it away cushion first, which is ironic. But perhaps he’s cooled because he misses a black and leaves a starter, which Shaun sees away, then keeps the run going with a superb shove to the green bag. Both players know that if John takes this frame, he’s nearly through, so every shot is freighted with tension.

Eeeesh, Shaun misses a red to right corner; no pace required, just a nice connection to clip it down, but he can’t. That’s the easiest long pot he’s missed so far and it leaves a nick to the yellow that John cuts home. But then he wobbles his second red in the jaws of right corner, his first error in fully four frames, and Shaun needed that; can he capitalise?

Judd Trump 3-0 Ben Woolaston

Ricky Walden 1-1 Ashley Carty

Kyren Wilson 3-0 Duane Jones

A second ton of the evening, this time a 120, and John Higgins can play snook.

John’s pot success is 98%; he missed the ball that helped facilitate Shaun’s ton, and one once a frame was secure. Not bad, eh? Can he convert into a second ton?

Shaun’s playing well too, but he’s been punished for every mistake he’s made and can’t assume that’s going to change. He badly needs the first, at least, when they return.

John guides a lovely acute red to left-middle, getting himself out of trouble, and he’s playing beautifully here. a two-frame lead at the interval will make him hard to beat.

Shaun strokes a luscious opener from near right corner into left-centre, but on 14 he misses another long red, leaving John back involved; Aa golden chance” says Angles. “They don’t come much better.”

Judd Trump 1-0 Ben Woolaston

Ricky Walden 1-1 Ashley Carty

Kyren Wilson 2-0 Duane Jones

Shaun won’t be unduly fussed, but he knows John is playing well enough to punish errors.

Shaun tries a starter to right-middle, no hedging, and when he misses he leaves one to the yellow that John despatches. He’s going in front.

John runs a little out of position so tries ruffling pack off red … and disturbs nothing, so plays safe; the lead is 66, with 75 points left on the table.

Shaun opens reds off blue onto pink and things don’t work as he wants … but he’s got a ball to right corner and spanks it down, then sets about crafting what looks like another frame-winning break.

Shaun misses again so John cuts a starter to left corner, raps a blue into the green, and he’s about the black spot potting balls. He’ll have known he’s to play well to beat Shaun, and he is.

Judd Trump 1-0 Ben Woolaston

Ricky Walden 1-0 Ashley Carty

Kyren Wilson 1-0 Duane Jones

Shaun knew he was in for it when he missed that red and he was right, he was. A run of 126, ton number 943 of his career, and we’re back level. These boys can play!

In the event, he barely uses the black, but it’s still him on for a ton. This match is boiling nicely.

John gets the black back on its spot and looks in pretty good shape to level this match from here.

After a long think, John steers a beauty to right corner, but on nothing, it’s safe off the yellow. And though he soon leaves another chance, a miss to left corner and the Wiz is back in among the balls, plenty points available.

Shaun knows he’s playing well, he’s got that grin he tries to disguise, but when a green goes long to right corner he can’t. A 113 and that’s frame one in the books.

You just don’t expect Shaun to miss at the moment and he doesn’t, smoothly removing balls until the frame is safe and playing a lovely shot on the pink to disturb the final red. There’s a ton here for him if he wants it.

Yup, Shaun accumulates and, in the background, we see Judd Tramp, who earlier today came back from 4-0 and change down to Chris Wakelin, winning five frames straight and completing the comeback with a century.

But John soon overcuts a cut-back black, leaves a simple starter to left-middle, and the way he’s playing you fancy Shaun to rack up a sizeable advantage.

Shaun played really well last season and looks in pretty good nick this, while John is fighting to preserve his top-16 place – he’s 14th in the provisional Crucible standings and hasn’t been out of the elite group since … 1995. And it’s him in first after a circumspect opening; with a fair few reds above the cluster, there are balls out there for him.

Our two old masters share a laugh and we’re good to go.

Welcome back to live coverage of the European Masters from Nuremburg. The last 16 starts tonight, and we’ve got a tasty one for you as our featured match. Shaun Murphy is a two-time winner of this event in its previous guise as the Malta Cup, and has been the form player of what has admittedly been a very short season so far; facing him will be Wishaw wizardry’s John Higgins, looking to win his first ranking event since 2021.

They’ve got five world titles and a total of 12 Triple Crowns between them, making this without question the tie of the round. John leads the head-to-head 10-6; it’s a relatively small number of contests given the calibre of players involved, and tonight is the first time they’ve played each other since the 2016 Champion of Champions.

Has been quite an afternoon of masterful European Masters snooker in Nuremberg, but the world champion finishes with a lovely break of 134 to advance to the last 16. We will be back just before 7pm when former world champions John Higgins and Shaun Murphy collide with a place in the quarter-finals on the line. See you then.

• Andy Hicks 1-4 Lyu Haotian
• Ben Mertens 4-5 David Gilbert
• Xiao Guodong 3-3 Ashley Hugill
• Anthony Hamilton 1-4 Mark Selby
• Mark Williams 4-4 Jimmy Robertson
• Barry Hawkins 5-1 Zak Surety
• Robbie Williams 4-5 Luca Brecel

A terrific closing 134 total clearance and he is through to meet Barry Hawkins in the last 16 of the European Masters on Friday morning. Should be a good one.

It is all over. What a finish this is from Luca to win it. A struggle for long spells, but set to finish with a century. His 200th century coming up.

This is impressive stuff from Brecel. Saving the best for last. And then some. Break over 50 as he drops in another brilliant long red.

Far from plain sailing, but Luca is really dialled in on this break. Knows the importance of it. Opens up the pack of reds via black and suddenly this is looking like a match-winning opportunity for the Belgian player.

A blistering trademark opening red by Brecel before dropping in a tough black. Some really fine shots to carve out this opening and would dearly love some of his old Crucible form with the pressure on. Will Williams get another chance in this match?

And the concession comes after Luca sticks up the final red over a middle bag. And we will have that decider to see who takes on Barry Hawkins in the last 16 on Friday morning.

Some poor shots being thrown in by both men at the worst possible time, but Brecel with the key misses this time and he is going to need a snooker on the final red. Or we will head for the final frame to decide matters.

Used to say that Steve Davis was the master cueman in keeping control of the white ball. That white has had a mind of its own today. Just 24 from Brecel before being forced to run safe. Four reds left on table.

A quick run of 46, but somehow the world No. 47 misses a fairly straight red with the rest. Didn’t expect him to miss that ball. On the cusp of 4-4 perhaps, but Brecel returns to the table chasing the frame he needs for victory. Neither player hitting any level of top form in this contest.

• Andy Hicks 1-3 Lyu Haotian
• Ben Mertens 4-4 David Gilbert
• Xiao Guodong 3-2 Ashley Hugill
• Anthony Hamilton 1-3 Mark Selby
• Mark Williams 3-4 Jimmy Robertson
• Barry Hawkins 5-1 Zak Surety
• Robbie Williams 3-4 Luca Brecel

Robbie says take that at the outset of the eighth frame with a thrilling long red near side cush. What a pot that is. The best of the match. And just when he needed it most. Can he get the ball rolling again to level at 4-4?

Williams has seen enough out there in this frame. Two really scrappy frames are won by Luca. He needs one more to reach the last 16.

Brecel being forced to do his work in little bouts of scoring, but inching towards a 4-3 lead. 46 clear with 51 left up, but balls in such a tough situation to mount a comeback. Robbie flukes a red, but no colour to follow. And he is going to need a snooker.

This has been a real slog since Williams raced 3-0 clear, but Brecel coming on strong at the business end of the match. Without being anywhere near his best, he is battling on. A lead of 20 points and snookers his opponent behind the pink. With Williams hitting the brown in failing to escape from the snooker.

Early blunder by Williams in leaving a red over a top bag. That is never your friend. But Luca then misses a brown off the spot. Poor shot really. In keeping with the theme of this contest so far. Nobody really performing well enough to gain momentum.

• Andy Hicks 1-3 Lyu Haotian
• Ben Mertens 4-2 David Gilbert
• Xiao Guodong 2-2 Ashley Hugill
• Anthony Hamilton 1-2 Mark Selby
• Mark Williams 3-2 Jimmy Robertson
• Barry Hawkins 5-1 Zak Surety
• Robbie Williams 3-3 Luca Brecel

Hopeless situation really for Robbie playing for snookers as Luca buries the final pink to level at 3-3 from a fairly forgettable frame. Didn’t look at the races in trailing 3-0, but world champion will surely fancy this now.

All happening out there at the mo. Williams with chance of an incredible steal. Doubles the brown, but then ends up going in off the blue. Brecel progresses to take out the blue to move to snookers required on pink and black. With Williams needing two of them. A long way back for Robbie. Looks for all the world like 3-3 coming up.

Brecel with a fine cut on a red using the extended rest, but can’t finish off the frame chasing the pink to lead by 28 points with 27 left up. Bad miss really on the pink. Still life in the old frame yet out there.

A lead of 31 points is like money in the bank the way this table is looking. But Williams rams home a blistering long red and tickles in a tough pink to middle. Chance then to get right back in the frame.

But a missed pink to right centre on a 32 break keeps Williams interested. Black still off its spot, so not easy to pile on the points at this visit.

Luca doing what all good world champions do by getting the pink back on its spot ASAP. Can’t go very far, very fast when you are left scrounging around on the low value colours. Which he knows. Would have to make the world No. 2 favourite again if he restores parity at 3-3 each.

All very scrappy with neither man finding any fluency among the balls. Luca hammers home a long red to break the deadlock. Pink and black off their spots so not ideal.

• Andy Hicks 1-3 Lyu Haotian
• Ben Mertens 3-2 David Gilbert
• Xiao Guodong 1-2 Ashley Hugill
• Anthony Hamilton 0-1 Mark Selby
• Mark Williams 2-2 Jimmy Robertson
• Barry Hawkins 4-1 Zak Surety
• Robbie Williams 2-3 Luca Brecel

The Williams long game has certainly gone off the boil for now. So he picks out a three-ball plant to get moving in the sixth frame. In goes the yellow to follow. Important visit you feel this one for Robbie. But he only makes four before missing a tough blue to green bag. Was all going so well early on.

Luca weighs in with a rapid 86. Looked to be heading out trailing 3-0, but is right back in the hunt at only one frame adrift. Amazing how the balance of a snooker match can quickly change momentum.

These frames fairly racing past with Luca in his element at close range. Could we see a first century coming up?

This really should be food and drink for Luca as he works his magic around the black spot. Looks to be in an ideal position to claw back the deficit to only 3-2. Wouldn’t have envisaged such a scenario not so long ago.

Lovely shot to left centre from Luca to roll in a red and hold for the blue. Shaking his head a moment ago, but Williams couldn’t can the long red and must wait to see what damage that has done to his prospects in this fifth frame.

Boys back on the baize. Robbie with a poor break-off shot as he leaves red to left middle which Luca drops in. Now then. First chance of frame falls to the world champion, but quickly out of position after slotting black and can’t cut in red to right middle. Could yet come good, but Luca well off it today so far.

• Andy Hicks 0-2 Lyu Haotian
• Ben Mertens 2-1 David Gilbert
• Xiao Guodong 1-1 Ashley Hugill
• Anthony Hamilton 0-0 Mark Selby
• Mark J Williams 0-2 Jimmy Robertson
• Barry Hawkins 3-0 Zak Surety
• Robbie Williams 1-3 Luca Brecel

Not vintage snooker from Brecel, but a little cameo of 28 is enough to grab his first frame of the day. Williams with a 3-1 lead at their break.

Another loose shot by Luca has given Williams scope to launch the counter attack in the fourth frame. But quickly out of position. Brecel doesn’t look in the mood for this today so far, but Robbie overhits a long red and presents the Belgian with scoring chance to escape from this mini-session trailing 3-1.

Only 42 from Luca. And he puffs his cheeks in frustration before Williams slams a long red down the hole in response. Then plays a nice little snooker to gain the upper hand in a tactical joust.

A brilliant plant by Brecel from the top cush to get the party started in the fourth frame as a red disappears down a centre pocket. And he is out onto the colours in some style. Have been waiting for Luca to catch fire in this match. Maybe that will be the spark he needs.

Another smartish 63 break from Williams. Solid matchplay snooker, Brecel needs two snookers, but isn’t interested and another frame falls away from him. One more frame before the mid-session interval that you can probably file under the “must-win” variety for Luca.

Should really be 3-0 coming up. Pink is out of commission, but black is on its spot. Studying another plant, but no need to take any chances. Can get over the winning line by taking what is there.

Cracking little plant from Robbie to knock one red onto another over a centre bag, and this is another superb chance for Willliams to put some serious heat on his opponent, who has yet to find any hint of his world title-winning form.

Robbie putting the balls away with some ease. Just taking what is there. Which should be enough in this second frame. The Brecel body language could be better against an opponent who is walking gingerly. Flukes a red before concluding the break on 57, and the concessionary nod comes from Luca. He trails 2-0.

Chances coming and going for Luca as he has another dart at a longish red, but well off the potting angle. Real chance for Williams to make his presence felt early on here.

Poor safety shot by Luca and he then makes another blunder by missing a long red by miles with no thought for safety seconds later. Reds splattered all over the table and this is a golden chance for Williams to score some more points. But can only put five on the board. Which is not exactly what he was looking for. Doesn’t look to be moving freely around the table at the moment.

91 break from Robbie is very nice indeed. Just what the doctor ordered to settle himself down. Luca knows he will need to find his form to handle an opponent who is clearly striking the ball well out there. A 1-0 lead for Williams.

Brilliant split on the pack to get the reds into play from Robbie. Golden chance to get the job done in this frame at this visit. Nothing too difficult remaining. Should be 1-0 to the Englishman after this visit.

Second bite at the cherry for Williams in this opening frame. Drops in a delighful opening red from distance and is quickly back at the business end of the baize looking to score.

Only contributing 10 points from his first visit. And Williams then leaves a free ball chance for his opponent seconds later after failing to escape from a snooker. The ‘Belgian Bullet’ playing with a new cue this week after losing his World Championship-winning stick during the close season.

Off we go then for this engrossing last-32 match. Brecel throws his cue at a long one, misses and leaves Williams a fairly decent opening chance. Which he decides to take. Early chance for Robbie to get hand on table and settle down on the main showpiece table.

The in-form Championship League winner followed up a 5-2 win over Daniel Wells on Wednesday night with a 5-0 whitewash of Ross Muir this morning that saw him hit breaks of 83, 52 and 111. He faces fellow world champion John Higgins in the round of 16 this evening.

Should be a fascinating few hours ahead as the last-32 stage concludes this afternoon. It is a 2:30pm start with world champion Luca Brecel taking to the table against Robbie Williams chasing another win as he closes on the world No. 1 spot. If he reaches the semi-finals here, Brecel would replace Ronnie O’Sullivan at the top of the rankings.

Elsewhere, Mark Selby meets Anthony Hamilton, Mark Williams confronts Jimmy Robertson and last year’s European Masters finalist Barry Hawkins takes on Zak Surety. The pick of results this morning saw Judd Trump hit back from 4-0 behind in a stunning 5-4 victory against Shoot Out winner Chris Wakelin. He meets Ben Woollaston for a quarter-final spot this evening.

• Andy Hicks v Lyu Haotian
• Ben Mertens v David Gilbert
• Xiao Guodong v Ashley Hugill
• Anthony Hamilton v Mark Selby
• Mark J Williams v Jimmy Robertson
• Barry Hawkins v Zak Surety
• Robbie Williams v Luca Brecel

• Ben Woollaston 5-4 Tom Ford
• Ricky Walden 5-4 Michael White
• Judd Trump 5-4 Chris Wakelin
• Noppon Saengkham 5-2 Wu Yize
• Kyren Wilson 5-0 Si Jiahui
• Ashley Carty 5-1 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
• Shaun Murphy 5-0 Ross Muir

Day two of the European Masters saw Shaun Murphy, Judd Trump and Luca Brecel move through to the last 32 in Nuremberg. The biggest shock of the day came in the shape of former world champion Stuart Bingham falling at the hands of Xiao Guodong in a 5-3 defeat, while the likes of Mark Selby, David Gilbert and Kyren Wilson also progressed into the next round.

Shaun Murphy recovered well from falling 2-1 behind against Daniel Wells, reeling off four frames in a row to book his spot in the last 32 with a 5-2 win. Scotsman Ross Muir awaits in the next round.

Judd Trump made it back-to-back 5-0 victories, dispatching Jordan Brown just as he did to Mohamed Ibrahim in his opening match. This sets up a tie against 28th seed Chris Wakelin in the round of 32.

World number two Luca Brecel faced a less straightforward progression against Ishpreet Singh. Despite the Belgian taking a comfortable 4-1 lead, Singh cut the deficit to a single frame as he threatened a comeback.

Brecel however completed a 5-3 victory with a match-clinching break in the eighth frame.

Both Mark Selby and David Gilbert breezed past Adam Duffy and Reanne Evans respectively with 5-1 wins.