Former champion Barry Hawkins will have the opportunity to compete for the Kaspersky Riga Masters crown later this month after easing past Andy Lee.

The first ranking event of the 2018-19 season gets underway on July 27 in the Latvian capital and the 39-year-old has confidently booked his spot at the competition. Hawkins ended 2017-18 with a strong run at the World Championship where he made it through to the semi-finals before losing 17-15 to eventual Crucible champion Mark Williams. The Hawk has since spent some time away from the tables recharging his batteries during the before making his re-emergence for Riga Masters qualifying.

He showed little sign of rust at Preston’s Guild Hall on Monday as he defeated Lee, who recently earned his place on the tour via the 2018 Q School, 4-0. The 2015 Riga champion registered breaks of 76 and 91 en route to victory in Lancashire and he will take up his place in the first round of the tournament later this month. Hawkins is regarded as a serious contender to challenge for the UK Championship, which gets underway in November, and can be backed at 23.00 to lift the title.

Meanwhile, Ali Carter also made easy work of his qualifying tie to see off Billy Castle 4-0 in a match that lasted little over an hour. The world number 11 was also a victim of Williams’ at the World Championship to conclude his 2017-18 campaign, but much like Hawkins, was a cut above his opponent on Monday.