Barry Hawkins won the 2023 European Masters with a 9-6 victory over Judd Trump on Sunday in Nuremberg.
The 44 year-old, who was denied glory in the final of the same tournament last year, never relinquished control after taking a tight opening frame.
Hawkins subsequently established a 3-1 mid-session advantage at the Kia Metropol Arena.
Even though Trump twice then responded with century breaks, he could not prevent his opponent from boasting a two-frame cushion at the end of the afternoon’s play.
- CLICK HERE: Judd Trump wins CBSA Tour event
The world number four had an opportunity to restore parity in the eighth frame but broke down on 60, with Hawkins eventually pinching it on the colours.
Upon the evening’s resumption, Hawkins again won a close frame to extend his lead and moved to 7-3 in front with a break of 53.
At this point there looked to be only one champion, but Trump clawed his way back into the contest with three frames on the trot.
The 34 year-old had already conjured two impressive comebacks in the event, notably in the third round when he fought back from 4-0 to beat Chris Wakelin 5-4.
But on this occasion he couldn’t quite get back on even terms, and Hawkins steadied the ship by limiting Trump to just 13 points during the last two frames.
The 2023 European Masters victory for Hawkins takes his career tally of ranking titles to four, a long six years after his last success at this level.
It had been a disappointing recent spell for the former World Championship and Masters finalist.
A serious dip in form during the 2022/23 campaign resulted in his failure to hold onto a place among the top 16 and a defeat in the World Championship qualifiers.
The £80,000 champion’s cheque, however, will be more than enough to see him return to the elite bracket of the world rankings list.
A potentially lucrative Champion of Champions place has also been secured, and Hawkins is well positioned in a number of other ranking lists that could reap further rewards later this term.
European Masters draw and results
L64
Kyren Wilson 5-2 Alfie Burden
Si Jiahui 5-3 Ken Doherty
Hossein Vafaei 0-5 Allan Taylor
Dominic Dale 5-2 Duane Jones
Andrew Higginson 1-5 Zhou Yuelong
Dylan Emery 1-5 John Higgins
Ross Muir 5-3 Joe Perry
Daniel Wells 2-5 Shaun Murphy
Judd Trump 5-0 Jordan Brown
Chris Wakelin 5-0 Aaron Hill
Ben Woollaston 5-1 Xu Si
Tom Ford 5-2 Oliver Brown
Jamie Jones 3-5 Ricky Walden
Michael White 5-4 Jack Lisowski
Ashley Carty 5-4 Joe O’Connor
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 5-0 Mark Allen
Andy Hicks 5-2 Peng Yisong
Lyu Haotian 5-4 Elliot Slessor
Ben Mertens 5-3 Sanderson Lam
David Gilbert 5-1 Reanne Evans
Xiao Guodong 5-3 Stuart Bingham
Ashley Hugill 5-4 Ali Carter
Louis Heathcote 1-5 Anthony Hamilton
Adam Duffy 1-5 Mark Selby
Wu Yize w/o Liu Hongyu
Noppon Saengkham 5-2 Mark Davis
Mark Williams 5-3 Matthew Stevens
Jimmy Robertson 5-0 Scott Donaldson
James Cahill 3-5 Barry Hawkins
Jiang Jun 4-5 Zak Surety
Robbie Williams 5-1 Pang Junxu
Ishpreet Singh 3-5 Luca Brecel
L32
K. Wilson 5-0 Si
Taylor 3-5 D. Jones
Zhou 2-5 Higgins
Muir 0-5 Murphy
Trump 5-4 Wakelin
Woollaston 5-4 Ford
Walden 5-4 M. White
Carty 5-1 Un-Nooh
Hicks 4-5 Lyu
Mertens 4-5 Gilbert
Xiao 4-5 Hugill
Hamilton 1-5 Selby
Wu 2-5 Saengkham
M. Williams 4-5 J. Robertson
Hawkins 5-1 Surety
R. Williams 4-5 Brecel
L16
K. Wilson 5-0 D. Jones
Higgins 5-2 Murphy
Trump 5-0 Woollaston
Walden 3-5 Carty
Lyu 5-1 Gilbert
Hugill 2-5 Selby
Saengkham 5-4 J. Robertson
Hawkins 5-4 Brecel
QF
K. Wilson 3-5 Higgins
Trump 5-1 Carty
Lyu 2-5 Selby
Saengkham 2-5 Hawkins
SF
Higgins 5-6 Trump
Selby 4-6 Hawkins
F
Trump 6-9 Hawkins
Featured photo credit: WST
