Judd Trump, Ding Junhui, Mark Williams and Jimmy Robertson are the first four players to advance through to the quarter-finals of this week’s German Masters. World number three Trump came into the tournament in Berlin needing to make a statement after his surprise defeat to Jak Jones in qualifying for the China Open last week.
The 28-year-old appears to have suffered no ill-effects from that loss as he followed up a 5-3 victory over Ben Woollaston in the first round with a similar success against Joe Perry in the last 16 on Thursday. Trump’s reward for making it through to the quarter-finals is a showdown with Ding on Friday after the Chinese player booked his place in the last eight with a 5-2 victory over Ricky Walden. Ding has fond memories of the German Masters as he won the event in 2014, beating Trump in the final, although this is the first time he has participated in the main draw for three years.
The resurgent Williams is also through to the quarter-finals as he continued what has been an impressive season, winning the Northern Ireland Open and reaching the last eight of a further six events so far this term. The two-time world champion beat Matthew Selt 5-2 to reach the quarter-finals in Berlin for the first time since 2012 and his reward is a showdown with world number 37 Robertson, who has reached the last eight of a ranking event for the first time.
Robertson has been the surprise package in Berlin as he comprehensively beat defending champion Anthony Hamilton in the first round before seeing off Gary Wilson in round two on Thursday.
German Masters odds available at Dafabet.