BRECEL COMPLETES STELLAR LAST-EIGHT LINE-UP

Luca Brecel showed flashes of brilliance in a 6-3 win over debutant Chris Wakelin at the Johnstone's Paint Masters as he joined a quarter-final line-up which includes six former winners of the event plus the last two World Champions.

Brecel will meet current Crucible king Kyren Wilson on Friday evening at Alexandra Palace, after showdowns between Shaun Murphy and Neil Robertson, Mark Selby and Mark Allen, then Judd Trump and Ding Junhui. The eight players left chasing the Paul Hunter Trophy have 31 Triple Crown titles between them.

Since his victory in Sheffield 20 months ago, Brecel has not won another individual title, but he showed improved form before Christmas with runs to the quarter-finals of the BetVictor Scottish Open then the final of the Riyadh Season Snooker