Barry Hawkins reached the German Masters semi-finals on Friday with a 5-3 defeat of Wu Yize at the Tempodrom.
The Hawk will contest the last four in this ranking event for only the third time after ousting the young Chinese cueist with breaks of 138, 89, 73, and 60.
Hawkins had a day off on Thursday after being granted with a walkover following the late withdrawal of last-16 opponent Ricky Walden, who was reportedly taken to hospital due to health concerns.
The 45 year-old took full advantage of the extra rest day and looked in good form as he dispatched the challenge of the English Open and Scottish Open runner-up.
“I’m over the moon,” UK Championship finalist Barry Hawkins, whose last semi-final in Berlin was 12 years ago, told the World Snooker Tour.
“Wu has been one of the players of the season. He’s such a devastating long potter, he puts your safety and everything under pressure.”
“To beat him and to play well like that – it was a very good game with hardly any balls missed – is really pleasing.
“Any time you get a walkover, you’ll take it. Anybody who says they’d rather play is lying, but to get the walkover in them circumstances is not very nice.
“I go back a long way with Ricky, and I wish him all the best. No one likes to see someone in pain, especially in a foreign country.
“There can’t be anything worse. So obviously I’ll take the walkover, but it wasn’t the best circumstance and I’m glad I took advantage of it today.
“Out there tonight, it was almost a full house. There weren’t many empty seats, and the atmosphere is amazing.
“To get back to the one-table setup again after such a long time is really good, and I’m really looking forward to it.
“The German fans are probably the best in the world that we’ve got. They’re so enthusiastic and clap on every shot.
“They absolutely love the game, so to be in the one table setup and to walk out into that arena again tomorrow will be great.”
Barry Hawkins will encounter another young player from China in the German Masters semi-finals on Saturday after Yuan Sijun upset Neil Robertson.
The latter had followed up his four-ton performance over Hammad Miah with a confident victory over world number one Judd Trump in the last 16.
But consistency was once again lacking from Robertson’s game, with the Australian managing only a single half-century contribution in a 5-4 reverse to Yuan.
By getting this far in the tournament, Yuan – who compiled breaks of 100, 75, 64, 57, and 52 – has matched his previous best run in a ranking event.
The other semi-final clash is also an England versus China affair, with world champion Kyren Wilson in action against Xiao Guodong.
Both players have been among the most consistent performers this season, so it isn’t a surprise at all to see them challenging for silverware again here.
Wilson, the German Masters winner in 2019, emerged from a thrilling battle with Anthony McGill in a deciding frame.
Wuhan Open champion Xiao had a much more comfortable time of it, the 35 year-old destroying Aaron Hill 5-0 with breaks of 114, 113, 95, and 75.
Wilson and Xiao will play each other in the first match on Saturday at 2pm UTC, with the game between Hawkins and Yuan scheduled for 7pm UTC.
The remaining quartet is playing for the Brandon Parker Trophy and a champion’s cheque worth £100,000.
Featured image credit: WST
