German Masters Snooker 2020 Day Two preview and order of play: Big guns do battle in Berlin
Judd Trump is the top seed (Photo by John Walton/PA Images)
A host of decorated stars aim to book their place in the latter stages of the 2020 German Masters in Berlin on Thursday.
A clutch of key title contenders safely progressed on the opening day of the prestigious ranking tournament at The Tempodrom on Wednesday, including two-time champion Mark Williams and reigning World Champion Judd Trump.
More modern greats aim to join them in the Last 16 as the First Round draws to a close in the afternoon before Second Round ties commence in the evening session.
Ding Junhui, who won this title in 2014, aims to hit the ground running by gaining revenge on Scott Donaldson for last week’s defeat at the European Masters.
Donaldson dumped out the UK Champion 5-2 in the Last 16 in Austria and is now aiming to repeat the dose on Ding and continue his impressive run of results.
John Higgins was twice a winner of the German Open in the late 90s but has a torrid record in this competition, having failed to progress beyond the Second Round stage in four previous appearances.
The 44-year-old begins his latest pursuit of a first ranking title since the 2018 Welsh Open with a tie against Wirral cueist Robbie Williams – making his debut at The Tempodrom.
Neil Robertson aims to pick up from where he left off in winning the European Masters last Sunday when he starts out against Ian Burns in the afternoon session.
Aussie ace Neil Robertson in action (Photo by PA Images)
Robertson leads the race for the £150,000 BetVictor European Series bonus after bagging his first ranking title of the season in Dornbirn.
The Australian has won four of his five previous meetings with Burns but did come unstuck at the 2018 Welsh Open and will be wary of a potential banana skin here.
Maximum man Tom Ford, who made a 147 here in 2017 and has made two already this season, looks to spring a surprise on China Champion Shaun Murphy.
Murphy was runner-up here five years ago and has also lost out in the final of the International Championship and Shanghai Masters this season.
Gary Wilson, semi-finalist at The Crucible and in Austria last week, aims to continue his fine run of form by overcoming Welsh debutant Jak Jones.
Former Indian Open champion Anthony McGill takes on former China Championship semi-finalist Zhao Xintong, while multiple ranking event semi-finalist Robert Milkins meets former Northern Ireland Open semi-finalist Elliot Slessor.
The evening session plays host to the first four Second Round ties, including a mouth-watering clash between world number one Judd Trump and Belgian ace Luca Brecel.
Trump was runner-up here in 2014 and is looking to add this title to his 14 other ranking triumphs, which have included four in the last 12 months.
The Bristol ace thrashed Noppon Saengkham 5-1 in Round One and has won six of his seven previous encounters with Brecel – who whitewashed Joe Perry to mark a dream start on Wednesday.
Mark Williams, the only player to have won this title on more than one occasion, steps up his quest for a third German Masters crown when he faces 2006 World Champion Graeme Dot.
Williams was in exhibition mode as he made two centuries and played shots one-handed on his way to a 5-2 win over Yuan Sijun, while Dott had to battle his way past Tian Pengfei in a deciding frame.
Former Shoot-Out champion Michael Georgiou faces a war of attrition against methodical Thai cueist Sunny Akani, while recent UK Championship quarter-finalist Nigel Bond plays Indian Open winner Matthew Selt.
The action gets underway from 9am GMT, with all matches to be contested over the best of nine frames.
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German Masters 2020 Match Schedule
All times GMT (Local time one hour ahead)
Thursday January 30
First Round
9am
Scott Donaldson v Ding Junhui
John Higgins v Robbie Williams
Alexander Ursenbacher v Mitchell Mann
2pm
Zhao Xintong v Anthony McGill
Jak Jones v Gary Wilson
Tom Ford v Shaun Murphy
Robert Milkins v Elliot Slessor
Ian Burns v Neil Robertson
Last 16
7pm
Mark Williams v Graeme Dott
Nigel Bond v Matthew Selt
Michael Georgiou v Sunny Akani
Luca Brecel v Judd Trump