Ronnie O’Sullivan leads John Higgins; Mark Williams loses to Barry Hawkins at World Snooker Championship

After two sessions of the match, Hawkins was ahead 10-6, but Williams, who was champion in 2000, 2003 and 2018, was unable to fight back as six frames went to alternative routes and Hawkins secured the victory.

Eleventh seed Hawkins, who turns 47 on Wednesday, reached the Crucible quarter-finals for the seventh time with the help of two breaks of 85, one in the 18th frame and the other in the 20th frame.

“I had to do my best in three sessions. I played well in two sessions but not so well in the second session and that’s when he got a good lead,” Williams said.

“I tried to come back but he was a better player. I don’t take enough breaks anymore. I broke down at 40 or 50.

“It was the best reception I’ve ever seen here. They were all on their feet. It probably won’t happen again for all three of us.” [of the ‘Class of 92’] in the same session.

“There’s really nothing else I can do, I can’t practice for hours every day and get better; you get worse as you go along.”

Hawkins, who will face Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen in the quarter-finals on Tuesday and Wednesday, said: “It’s definitely a good thing. [as his best Crucible experience]. It’s not easy to beat someone like that and get to the quarter finals.

“I didn’t get over the line, so I’m pretty happy with the way I played and the way I played, I enjoyed every minute of it.

“I used to have so much respect for these types of players and I would be devastated, but in the last four or five years I have more faith.”

Receiving a standing ovation at the start of the session, he said: “They weren’t standing for me, they were standing for Class 92 but when I came out, what a great feeling. It’s the best place to play in a situation like that.”