The Masters

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Nottingham Snooker's Snooker TV

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The Masters

Last 16: Sean Hopkin v Wayne Martin

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Wayne Martin 5-2 Sean Hopkin (26/10/11)

Wayne Martin managed to fend off a fightback from Sean Hopkin in this last 16 match.


Wayne Martin & Sean Hopkin shake hands before the match

Martin opened up a 3-0 lead without really getting out of second gear. But Hopkin showed his character by winning the next two frames. He also made the highest break of the match - a modest run of 35. Despite the lack of high breaks it was an enjoyable match as both players produced good safety which kept the referee on his toes.

Hopkin had his chances to draw level but Martin called on his vast experience to nick the sixth frame to go 4-2 ahead. The seventh frame looked to be going Hopkin's way but a good snooker from Martin swung the frame his way. Hopkin had a chance at the end on the blue but he didn't quite hit it hard enough and Martin made no mistake, potting blue and pink to win frame and match.

Martin now faces either Hanzla Zahid or Gary Spencer in the quarter-finals.

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Live tonight at 7pm

Nottingham Snooker's Snooker TV

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The Masters

Last 16: Jamie Sampson v Jimmy Gratton

Tonight at 7.00pm

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Jimmy Gratton 5-4 Jamie Sampson (04/11/11)

Derby's Jimmy Gratton just edged a thriller against Jamie Sampson that went right down to the pink in the deciding frame.


Jimmy Gratton and Jamie Sampson

Gratton took the first two frames before Sampson pulled one back. Gratton then won the fourth before Sampson upped his game and won the next three to lead 4-3. Gratton dug deep to take the next and set up a thrilling decider.

The deciding frame was nip and tuck and both players missed relatively simple pinks at the death. Nerves play a big part at this stage of any match but Gratton managed to keep calm enough to sink the match ball pink.

Gratton now plays either Kyren Wilson or Chris Keogan in the quarter-finals.

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Bash Maqsood v Troy Brett

Nottingham Snooker's Snooker TV

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The Masters

Last 16: Bash Maqsood v Troy Brett

Tonight at 7.00pm

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Bash Maqsood 5-3 Troy Brett

Bash Maqsood came back from 3-1 behind to defeat Troy Brett 5-3 in the last 16 of The Snooker TV Masters.


Bash Maqsood and Troy Brett before the match

Frame one saw a cagey start from both players. Brett managed a 29 break whilst Maqsood replied with a 23. Brett missed a brown when on a break and Maqsood surprisingly conceded when 37 behind and 43 on the table. He miscalculated and he had already conceded before he realised.

Maqsood produced a nice 47 break in frame two and Brett conceded with the scores on 61-22. Modest breaks of 22 and 17 from Brett was enough for Maqsood to concede frame three.

With Brett leading 2-1 Maqsood really needed to win the fourth frame to level things up going into the mid-session interval. Brett had other ideas though as he opened with a run of 23. Maqsood replied with 22 but Brett had a knock of 21 to extend his lead. Maqsood missed the green and Brett fluked it! Maqsood then laid a good snooker on the brown and Brett missed it twice to leave the score at 49-40 in Brett's favour. Brett then potted brown and blue to leave Maqsood leaving a snooker and Brett went on to pot the pink to take a 3-1 lead into the interval.

The interval seemed to do Maqsood good as he knocked in a superb 92 break in the fifth frame. There was a possible 135 on the table but he missed a relatively simple red, no doubt to the relief of Chris Keogan who remains on course for the £100 high break prize with his 106.

Brett opened frame six with a 25 break but Maqsood hit back with two breaks of 16 and a 22. This left Brett trailing by 24 points with 35 left on the table. Brett laid a good snooker on the last red and Maqsood missed the escape by a whisker. There was now just 20 points in it but Maqsood fired in a 24 break to take the frame and level the match at 3-3.

Brett opened frame seven in style with a run of 49. There was a possible 139 on the table but he missed an easy black off the spot. This was probably the best frame of the match. Maqsood made breaks of 8 and 15 to give himself a glimour of hope before Brett had a run of 8 which included an audacious double on the last red. He now led by 34 points with just 27 on the table. Maqsood laid a snooker which Brett escaped from only to see the white go in off. There was now 30 in it and Maqsood laid another snooker. Brett hit the black this time meaning there was now only 23 in it with 27 on the table. Maqsood potted the yellow but left the green over the bag. Unfortunately Brett potted the green and followed it in with the white! Brett's lead was now just 17 points. Maqsood potted the green and laid a snooker on the brown. Brett got out of the snooker but the brown cannoned the pink into the pocket - so unlucky! Maqsood rubbed salt into the wounds by potting brown to black to take the frame and lead 4-3.

There were no big breaks in frame eight. Maqsood seized the initiative to lead by 33 points going into the colours. Brett fluked the yellow, potted the green and laid a good snooker on the brown. Maqsood managed to escape the snooker but Brett potted brown and blue before trying for a snooker on pink. He couldn't quite get one though and Maqsood potted the pink to seal a terrific comeback and set up a quarter-final clash with Ant McMahon.

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Kyren Wilson v Chris Keogan

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The Masters

Last 16: Kyren Wilson v Chris Keogan

Tonight at 7.00pm

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Kyren Wilson 5-2 Chris Keogan (24/11/11)

Kyren Wilson defeated Chris Keogan 5-2 to set up a quarter-final clash with Jimmy Gratton.


Kyren Wilson & Chris Keogan before the match

Wilson played almost flawlessly as he raced into a 3-0 lead. Credit to Keogan though who produced some great snooker to pull the score back to 3-2. The final two frames were much closer but Wilson was very dangerous when in the balls and he proved that little bit too strong for Keogan on the night.

Wilson was disappointed not to beat the 106 high break which Keogan set in the last round, particularly as he missed a black when on a maximum attempt. It would have been Wilson's 10th 147 break had he made it - perhaps next time...

Frame Scores (Wilson first)
103(65)-19, 96(84)-10, 83(83)-15, 36(32)-81(30,49), 54-72(44), 79(57)-14, 76(44)-46

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kGjbuy95VU

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Hanzla Zahid 5-2 Gary Spencer (25/11/11)

Hanzla Zahid produced some quality snooker to defeat Gary Spencer 5-2 in the last 16 of The Snooker TV Masters to set up a quarter-final clash with Wayne Martin.


Hanzla Zahid and Gary Spencer

Spencer won the first frame with the help of a 36 break but Zahid won the next to level the match. Zahid upped his game in the next two. A 44 in the third and a terrific 106 clearance in the fourth gave him a 3-1 lead and left Spencer feeling shell-shocked.

Zahid won the fifth with the help of a 41 break and he looked odds on to wrap up the match in the next but he broke down on a run of 42 and Spencer made him pay as he took the frame to make it 4-2. A few minor breaks from Zahid proved enough in the next to seal the win.

Frame Scores (Zahid first)
32-63(36), 86(39)-9, 94(44)-2, 113(106)-10, 79(41)-34, 42(42)-63, 64-16

Zahid and Chris Keogan currently share the highest break of 106 and will share the £100 prize should nobody beat or equal it.

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Nottingham Snooker's Snooker TV

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The Masters

Last 16: Steve Judd v Thomas Goldstein

Tonight at 7.00pm

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Steve Judd 5-0 Thomas Goldstein (02/12/11)

Steve Judd blew Thomas Goldstein away like a tornado to set up a quarter-final clash with either Barry Stark or Brian Cox.


Thomas Goldstein and Steve Judd before the match

Judd was not anywhere near top form but Goldstein missed too many chances and Judd punished him with quickfire potting as he stormed to a 5-0 win in super quick time.

Frame Scores (Judd first)
68-36, 61(30)-2, 85(57)-19, 64(32)-31, 67(66)-9

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Brian Cox 5-4 Barry Stark (13/01/12)

Brian Cox survived a terrific comeback from Barry Stark in this Snooker TV Masters last 16 tie.


Brian Cox shaking hands with Barry Stark prior to the deciding frame of their last 16 match

Cox had made the long trip from Peterborough to play this match and he was forced to play cold having arrived a little late. This did not seem to affect him though as he took the first frame in style with a 73 break. He then won the next two frames to open up a resounding 3-0 lead.

Stark won the fourth but Cox made it 4-1 and it seemed only a matter of time before the qualified snooker coach from Peterborough booked his place in the quarter-finals.

Amazingly Stark seemed to find an extra gear as he reeled off three frames in a row to set up a tense decider.

Stark now had the momentum on his side as the deciding frame got underway around midnight. It looked like he was going to make it four frames in a row but from somewhere Cox produced a frame winning 32 break which was reminiscent of Alex Higgins' famous 69 break against Jimmy White all those years ago.

It was a fantastic match that had it all and it was a real shame that there had to be a loser.

Cox will now play Steve Judd in the quarter finals.

CLICK HERE to view the drawsheet

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Wayne Martin 5-2 Hanzla Zahid (22/01/12)

Wayne Martin eased into the semi-finals of The Snooker TV Masters on Sunday night despite not playing anywhere near his best.


Wayne Martin shakes hands with Hanzla Zahid at the conclusion of the match

Luckily for Martin, his opponent was also very out of sorts in a match where there were no breaks above 50.

Despite the lack of high breaks, there was still plenty of drama. Martin took the first frame but Zahid won the next to level at 1-1. Martin then took the third and looked odds on for the fourth as he left Zahid needing a snooker with pink and black remaining. Zahid laid a terrific snooker which Martin failed to escape from but Zahid then left Martin a simple pot on the pink for the frame. Somehow Martin missed the pot and to make things worse he subsequently potted the pink only to follow it in with the cueball! Zahid eventually won the frame to level the match at 2-2.

After the interval Zahid missed too many balls and left Martin far too many chances. Martin won all three frames including a very dramatic final frame to take the match 5-2 and set up a semi-final clash with either Bash Maqsood or Ant McMahon.

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Bash Maqsood 5-3 Ant McMahon (24/01/12)

Ant McMahon's run in The Snooker TV Masters came to an end on Tuesday evening in a bruising quarter-final clash with Bash Maqsood.


Ant McMahon and Bash Maqsood

McMahon had enjoyed victories over Sean Croft and Adam Chester to reach the quarter-final stage but many people thought Maqsood would cantor to victory following his recent victories in tournaments at Spot On and BCI.

Maqsood won the first two frames and looked to be on course for a speedy victory but the determined McMahon had other ideas. He summoned up all his fighting qualities to draw level at 2-2 and he then won the fifth to go in front for the first time at 3-2.

Maqsood was not coping at all well and he demonstrated his displeasure with various acts of petulance. This behaviour was totally out of character for the usually level headed and jovial Maqsood and he appeared to be in danger of imploding.

Importantly for Maqsood he managed to level the match at 3-3 and then win the seventh to lead once again.

McMahon had seveeral chances in the eighth frame but he failed to capitalise on them and Maqsood stumbled over the winning line much to his relief.

Maqsood will now play Wayne Martin in the semi-finals.

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The Masters

Quarter-final: Brian Cox v Steve Judd

Tonight at 7.00pm

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