Carter edges Williams to make quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace

Updated 08/01/2024 at 23:18 GMT

Ali Carter finally came through a breathless first-round encounter at Alexandra Palace as he reached the quarter-finals of the Masters with a 6-4 victory over Mark Williams. In a topsy-turvy game of snooker, it was Carter who delivered when it really mattered, with a couple of fatal misses from Williams costing the two-time champion dear. Carter will play the winner of Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson.Watch: Ding’s masterful 147 break at The Masters in full

Ali Carter stayed composed in the biggest moments to eke out a 6-4 win over Mark Williams and progress to the last eight of the Masters.

Carter, the 11th seed, had won 16 of the 37 matches these two had played together, and notched another victory for his tally here with a huge win at Alexandra Palace.

He found himself down the first frame after a classy 66 break from his Welsh opponent after a nervy start from both men, but the Englishman rallied and levelled the scores, with a 34 clearance to finish a tense second frame.

Williams edged his nose in front once more in the third, as an initial careless shot from Carter allowed Williams to open his account with a red over the middle bag, before knocking in another red, the brown, and the green to move up to 52, while Carter found himself twice snookered. A final 22 sealed the deal for the Welsh eight seed.

A brilliant red pick-out from the middle of the park from Carter had him seize the initiative in the fourth, before he pocketed another tricky red to continue his rhythm, eventually ending on a 72, with Williams only able to watch on.

After the interval, the merry-go-round continued, with Williams nicking the fifth, as the three-time world champion found his best form.

He was close to a century before missing a tough yellow on 93, and at 3-2 up, the twice Masters champion was halfway to victory.

Carter refused to give in, however, restoring parity once more with a fantastic 118 clearance after a clumsy missed black by Williams at the start of the frame.

Watch: Williams jokes with crowd after potting a red…with a fly on it

It was Carter who then carried his momentum into the following, with some more excellent cue work from ‘The Captain’ to clear 133, pocketing a tricky red and then a brilliant black soon after.

Williams worked his way back into the encounter with an 86 break as Carter missed a key brown to the right centre pocket, but the 2020 finalist did not let it faze him.

A bad missed red from Williams allowed Carter to pocket the red and pink to put him a frame from the last eight, and a Williams miscue at a red towards left-centre gave the world No. 10 a chance to seal the win.

He duly did so, powering home a final red, to see himself safely through.

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