Aaron Hill has progressed to the quarter-final of a ranking event for just the second time after beating Tom Ford at the Machineseeker German Masters tonight.
The Cork man continued his superb week with a 5-3 victory over the veteran to set up a last eight meeting with Xiao Guodong.
Hill moved into a 2-0 lead after a scrappy opening before showing his quality by creating the chance for a 147 break in the third when he reached 73, breaking down on the tenth black.
A break of 35 was enough in another low-scoring fourth frame before the mid-session interval with Ford struggling to make any impact.
The Englishman turned the tables on the resumption with scores of 86, 56 and 77 to give himself a fighting chance at 4-3.
However it was Hill that booked a place in Friday's quarter-finals as he held his nerve with a 74 to seal the win.
World champion Kyren Wilson fought past Jak Jones 5-3 to progress, while Ricky Walden withdrew from his match on Thursday morning having been admitted to hospital with pancreatitis.
In a repeat of the 2024 World Championship final – which Wilson won 18-14 at the Crucible – the opening two frames were shared, with Welshman Jones drawing level after a break of 80.
Wilson then crafted a fine 112 before Jones – who knocked out John Higgins in the last round – got himself in front at 3-2 after a break of 123.
The world champion soon took his game up a level, making 103 before another run of 60 helped see him over the line.
Walden had been set to play Barry Hawkins during Thursday's morning session at the Tempodrom, but withdrew on medical grounds, the World Snooker Tour said in a short statement.
Walden was admitted to hospital on Wednesday evening having become very unwell, and was subsequently diagnosed with pancreatitis. The 42-year-old’s condition was much improved on Thursday evening, but is expected to remain in hospital for a few days.
Hawkins received a bye into the quarter-finals where he will play Wu Yize, who beat Alexander Ursenbacher 5-2 after making 105 when on a possible maximum break in the last frame.
Elliot Slessor – who edged out Mark Selby in a last-frame decider late on Wednesday night – lost 5-1 to Xiao, while Scotland’s Anthony McGill saw off Zhang Anda 5-2 to set up a quarter-final against Wilson.
Masters champion Shaun Murphy, having not previously dropped a frame in Berlin, was edged out 5-4 by Yuan Sijun in a late-night decider.
