Neil Robertson and Stephen Maguire reached the quarter-finals of the Masters after opening their Alexandra Palace campaigns with 6-4 victories.
Maguire saw off Judd Trump in the afternoon session and will take on Shaun Murphy in the last eight.
In the evening, Robertson produced a strong finish to overcome the challenge of Robert Milkins and now awaits the winner of Tuesday evening's clash between Barry Hawkins and Ali Carter.
Milkins' Masters debut last season ended quickly with a 6-1 defeat to Ronnie O'Sullivan and he was determined to produce an improved showing, taking the opening frame with a 94 break.
He made several mistakes in the second to allow Robertson to level with a run of 60 and the world number one won a messy third frame but Milkins cleared from the final red to take the next and go into the interval at 2-2.
A 69 break was enough to win Milkins the fifth frame but Robertson finally clicked into gear with 77 in the next.
The Australian was on top in the next after a 51 break but again it went down to the wire, Milkins with a good frame-winning clearance from brown to black.
Robertson, though, found another gear with 95 to level before breaks of 117 and 76 saw him across the winning line.
