A star-studded group of eight contenders will assemble for the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters draw on Thursday in China.
Three wins separate the remaining players from victory in what is one of the most prestigious invitational events on the calendar.
The first Shanghai Masters since 2019 boasts a champion’s cheque worth £210,000, and there promises to be a fascinating conclusion in store.
Ronnie O’Sullivan vs John Higgins
Thursday, 7am BST
Arguably the pick of the ties from the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals draw is the latest chapter in the long-running rivalry between Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins.
The pair first clashed on the main tour as professionals all the way back in 1994.
This meeting will represent their 78th in all competitions since, an incredible stat that helps to underline their longevity at the very top of the sport.
Their most recent clash was in last year’s World Championship, a semi-final fixture O’Sullivan won en route to securing a seventh Crucible crown.
Prior to that, Higgins had generally enjoyed the upper hand of their duels from the last couple of years, albeit he does possess the inferior head-to-head record overall.
Both players have secured silverware in Shanghai, with O’Sullivan a three-time defending champion and a four-time winner of the Shanghai Masters overall.
Higgins tasted glory in 2012 when the tournament was under its previous guise as a ranking event.
Mark Selby vs Judd Trump
Thursday, 7am BST
It seems strange that a match involving Mark Selby and Judd Trump would receive second billing, but such is the size of the O’Sullivan-Higgins game that this one is being put on table two.
There is a long-running joke that the English duo never meet each other.
Despite avoiding each other on occasion when on the same side of a draw, that’s not entirely true.
In addition to numerous battles in the Championship League, Trump beat Selby in the semi-finals of last season’s Champion of Champions.
Indeed, the younger of the two boasts a superior head-to-head record overall with 20 wins to the four-time world champion’s 16.
Both Trump and Selby emerged from tough round-of-16 affairs on Tuesday, recording respective 6-5 triumphs over Jack Lisowski and Hossein Vafaei.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see their showdown go down to the wire as well.
Fan Zhengyi vs Neil Robertson
Thursday, 12:30pm BST
Neil Robertson fought back in superb fashion to deny home favourite Ding Junhui in a dramatic decider on Wednesday.
In the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters draw, the Australian will face the last of the Chinese hopes for the title in Fan Zhengyi.
The latter produced a fine display to see off Mark Allen with a 6-3 scoreline while compiling four half-century breaks.
Fan, a former European Masters champion, is also the only participant left who is ranked outside the world’s top 16.
The 22 year-old will have to overcome another daunting prospect if he’s to reach the last four at the Shanghai Grand Stage.
That being said, the last time Fan played Robertson was in another lucrative non-ranking event – at last season’s Champion of Champions when the young Chinese competitor won 4-3.
Robertson, though, will of course start as the favourite given his pedigree on the biggest stages.
The Melbourne man endured a disappointing 2022/23 campaign, but by winning the last three frames against Ding he has given himself an opportunity to go deep this week.
Robert Milkins vs Luca Brecel
Thursday, 12:30pm BST
World champion Luca Brecel and Robert Milkins complete the last-eight lineup for Thursday’s order of play.
Milkins was involved in another decider, one of five during what has been an entertaining tournament so far.
The Milkman delivered when it mattered most against Shaun Murphy, the same opponent who he beat to claim the Welsh Open silverware in February.
Brecel avoided a final frame but was still made to work for his 6-4 success over Mark Williams, meanwhile.
The Belgian Bullet is back playing with the cue he used to capture the world title in May – his trusted wand finally having turned up after an airline lost it earlier in the summer while travelling.
Brecel will be highly fancied to continue his progress through to the semi-final stage in Shanghai.
But Milkins won their most recent battle at the German Masters earlier this year, and the 47 year-old is in the form of his career in general with a career-high ranking of 12.
Shanghai Masters Draw
Last 24 (bo11)
Ali Carter (11) 6-2 Dong Zihao
John Higgins (10) 6-0 Deng Haohui
Hossein Vafaei (16) 6-1 Gong Chenzhi
Jack Lisowski (13) 6-5 Zhou Yuelong
Gary Wilson (14) 2-6 Fan Zhengyi
Ding Junhui (15) 6-2 Si Jiahui
Robert Milkins (12) 6-1 Bai Yulu
Mark Williams (9) 6-1 Pang Junxu
Last 16 (bo11)
Ronnie O’Sullivan (1) 6-3 Ali Carter (11)
Kyren Wilson (8) 3-6 John Higgins (10)
Mark Selby (5) 6-5 Hossein Vafaei (16)
Judd Trump (4) 6-5 Jack Lisowski (13)
Mark Allen (3) 3-6 Fan Zhengyi
Neil Robertson (6) 6-5 Ding Junhui (15)
Shaun Murphy (7) 5-6 Robert Milkins (12)
Luca Brecel (2) 6-4 Mark Williams (9)
Quarter-Finals (bo11)
Ronnie O’Sullivan (1) 6-5 John Higgins (10)
Mark Selby (5) 6-1 Judd Trump (4)
Fan Zhengyi 1-6 Neil Robertson (6)
Robert Milkins (12) 3-6 Luca Brecel (2)
Semi-Finals (bo19)
Ronnie O’Sullivan (1) 10-7 Mark Selby (5)
Neil Robertson (6) 7-10 Luca Brecel (2)
Final (bo21)
Ronnie O’Sullivan (1) 11-9 Luca Brecel (2)
Featured photo credit: WST
