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| Venue: Alexandra Palace, London Dates: 8 January -15 January |
| Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV and Red Button with uninterrupted coverage on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and the BBC Sport app |
Barry Hawkins whitewashed UK champion Mark Allen 6-0 to reach the last eight of the Masters at Alexandra Palace.
The Englishman combined astute tactical play with some superb potting as he dominated throughout, making breaks of 76 and 114 on his way to victory.
Allen, one of the form players this season, exits the tournament at the first-round stage for the fifth consecutive year.
Hawkins will now face either Judd Trump or Ryan Day next on Friday.
The 43-year-old who lost to Neil Robertson in last year’s final had come into the contest as a slight underdog, with Allen, who defended his Northern Ireland Open title earlier in the season, bidding to secure back-to-back Triple Crown titles.
However, the Northern Irishman becomes the fourth consecutive UK champion to be knocked out of the Masters at the first hurdle, as Hawkins once again reserved his best for the big occasion.
Hawkins overturned a 55-point deficit to win the first frame and got the better in a lengthy safety exchange before constructing a superb half century to win the second from an improbable position, with the balls bunched awkwardly on the table.
A fortunate in-off, followed by an immediate tactical error and foul from Allen, saw Hawkins establish a 3-0 lead with a wonderful century and when Allen missed a brown to the top right corner it enabled Hawkins to pinch a nervy fourth frame.
With Allen’s long potting success rate below 40%, two solid scoring contributions saw Hawkins take the fifth frame and then come from behind in the sixth to round off his win with a 34.
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