Barry Hawkins soared past Mark Williams and into the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship.

He did it with an impressive 13-9 victory over Williams to make the quarter-finals of the Halo World Championship for the first time in eight years. 

The Hawk enjoyed a tremendous record at the Theatre of Dreams between 2013 and 2018. Hawkins won more matches in snooker’s biggest event than anyone else during that period. He was runner-up to Ronnie O’Sullivan in 2013 and reached a further four semi-finals and one quarter-final. 

However, Englishman Hawkins has only won three matches in the final stages since 2019 and he’s exited after the first round in the last three years. An emphatic opening 10-4 win over Matthew Stevens this week brought the 47-year-old’s losing streak to an end. Now he will face Mark Allen for a return to the single table set up, as he continues his bid for a maiden world title.

Hawkins’ return to form in Sheffield comes having captured his fifth ranking event title earlier this year. He beat Jack Lisowski 9-5 in the Welsh Open final to capture the Ray Reardon Trophy for the first time. 

Three-time World Champion Williams was unable to hit the heights of 12 months ago, which saw him make a fifth world final aged 50. The now 51-year-old lost out on that occasion to Zhao Xintong, who became Asia’s first Crucible king. 

When play got underway this evening, all four players entering the Crucible arena were afforded an epic reception. There was a standing ovation with all three of the Class of 92 in action, with O’Sullivan facing John Higgins on the other table. 

Hawkins held a healthy 10-6 advantage as play got underway, but Williams immediately cut into that and reduced the gap to three. It didn’t take long for the relentless Hawkins to hit back and a run of 85 in frame 18 made it 11-7. The following two frames were traded and they headed in for the interval with Hawkins one away at 12-8. 

When play resumed, Williams floated in a fearless long range red and crafted 70 to reduce his arrears. The Welshman had an opportunity to pull within two frames in the 22nd, but a missed cut back red meant he could only muster 25. Hawkins pounced and got over the line to make his seventh Crucible quarter-final. 

Speaking after the match, a delighted Hawkins said: “To come here, play like that and beat him at the Crucible is a special result for me.

“I’ve beaten him the last couple of times we’ve played now. I think in the past I had too much respect for him. I used to crumble against those sorts of players. I think in the last four or five years I’ve had more belief in myself and that has made the difference in the last few days. 

“It was an amazing reception. I could see on the screen before I walked out that there was already a standing ovation. They weren’t standing for me, they were standing for the Class of 92. When I walked out, what a feeling, it is the best place to play when it is like that.”