Shanghai Masters 2012 - Day 4

Perry whitewashes Robbo for QF spot

Step by step the last stages' structure of the Shanghai Masters tournament is beginning to shape up, the quarter-finals receiving with open arms names like Mark Williams, Judd Trump or John Higgins, but being quite reticent regarding Neil Robertson, Mark Allen or Stephen Lee.

It was a bit of a struggle the match in which Mark Williams had to face Ricky Walden although the final scoreline made the score board froze at 5-2.

The first session ended on a tight 2-2 result, Walden being the dominant player if we take into account that he won both frames with considerable runs of 95 and 112.

Still, after the break, Williams took control of the match with a 67 and continued to win two more frames (scrappy ones) in order to reach victory and get a place in the quarter-finals.

Here he's meeting Joe Perry, the Englishman landing safely into the Last 8 round after a clear and outstanding 5-0 victory obtained in front of an unable-to-get-the-run-of-the-ball Neil Robertson, breaks of 67, 75 and 61 being involved into the process.

Is Higgins back on track?

Also with a secured spot into the next round is Captain Ali Carter who flew on a clear and no-turbulence 5-0 "sky" leaving behind Stephen Maguire "airport" and now getting ready to land on John Higgins one, for a snooker confrontation that will see one of them into the semis.

And since we are talking about John Higgins, it must be said that the Scotsman is showing signs of really getting back on track, after a 5-2 victory obtained in front of Jamie Jones, coming today's 5-0 whitewash by playing what Higgins described as "didn't play anything like he can" Ryan Day.

Stuart Bingham continued his good run and hammered Jamie Cope 5-1, the same treatment being applied by Graeme Dott in front of the Big Stephen Lee.

Shaun Murphy finally put his magic cue to work and flew all the way to 3-0 by using breaks of 72 and 86, in the match he had with Mark King, but the Romford player tried his best to recover from the deficit runs of 114 and 55 getting him two consecutive frames in a row.
However, in the end, Murphy was the victorious one at 5-3.

Judd Trump is also amongst those playing tomorrow in Shanghai, the "Ace in the Pack" coming back from a 2-0 lead by Mark Allen, to win the match by 5-2.

The quarter-finals match schedule:

7.30am
Ali Carter v John Higgins
Mark Williams v Joe Perry

12.30pm
Stuart Bingham v Shaun Murphy
Graeme Dott v Judd Trump
*all hours are UK time

TV coverage:
07:30 - 15:30 British EuroSport
07:30 - 10:30 British EuropSport 2
19:00 - 21:00 British EuroSport 2