SNOOKER:Ali Carter whitewashed Peter Ebdon 6-0 to book a quarter-final meeting with Ronnie O'Sullivan in the Masters at Wembley. Earlier, Neil Robertson had to dig deep to see off six-time winner Stephen Hendry 6-4 on his way to a quarter-final against Stephen Maguire.
Carter was in irresistible form, potting with great confidence and accuracy and giving Ebdon very few opportunities in an unexpectedly one-sided first-round match.
Ebdon proved a stern competitor as ever in relatively few safety exchanges, but Carter cashed in terminally each time an opening came his way.
He showed his intent with a 130 total clearance in the first frame - and soon doubled his lead on the back of a 57 break and then a long pressure pink to clinch the second after Ebdon had let him in again.
The Essex man took a scrappy third 53-21, before shutting Ebdon out with a 67 break which made it 4-0.
Former world champion Ebdon had to take significant benefit from the mid-session interval. But after he missed a tough opening red to the middle pocket from tight on the baulk cushion, Carter stepped in with his second century of the match to leave Ebdon needing to win six successive frames.
By then, though, his potting had completely deserted him - and he was put out of his misery as Carter completed his 6-0 romp with a break of 64.
Robertson led four times in a topsy-turvy match but could not get away from the veteran Scot until he took the final three frames to wrap up a hard-fought victory.
It was 2-2 at the mid-session interval, Robertson leading and pegged back twice as two scrappy frames were followed by an 85 break for the Australian in the third and then an 80 for Hendry - who was left in the balls, after fluking a snooker on a missed yellow.
Robertson came out of the blocks fast after the break and had a 147 in his sights until he missed an awkward black on 97.
It looked like 4-2 when Robertson opened up with a 52 break in the next, but Hendry hit back with a 61 to steal the frame on the black and level the match again.
The Scot was in front for the only time when he got the better of a protracted safety duel in the next. He could not take a telling advantage, however, when his opponent got a 'kick' in the eighth, and it was all square once again after Robertson cleared the colours.
Robertson came from off the pace with a 47 break to scrape home 60-43 in the next, leaving the seven-time world champion one down with two to play - and the Aussie left-hander erased the error-strewn memories of earlier exchanges when he closed out the contest with a 92 break in the last frame.
Hendry, 40 yesterday, therefore had no extra cause for celebration.
"When you make loads of unforced errors you don't deserve to win," he observed.
"When you feel as uncomfortable as I do out there results aren't going to happen."