Masters Snooker: Everything You Need to Know and Live Match Schedule as John Higgins Faces Barry Hawkins (0–0)

Masters Snooker: Everything You Need to Know and Live Match Schedule as John Higgins Faces Barry Hawkins (0–0)

 

The Masters Snooker tournament is back at Alexandra Palace, bringing together the world’s elite players for one of the most prestigious events on the snooker calendar. Part of the sport’s coveted Triple Crown, alongside the World Championship and the UK Championship, the Masters is an invitational, non-ranking event featuring only the top 16 players in the world.

The tournament is renowned for its intensity, history and electric atmosphere, with no qualifiers and no easy matches. Every player involved has already proven themselves at the highest level, meaning drama is guaranteed from the opening frame to the final ball.

Tournament Format and Key Details

The Masters follows a straight knockout format. Matches in the first round, quarter-finals and semi-finals are played over best of 11 frames, with the first player to six frames progressing. The final is contested over best of 19 frames, split across two sessions, with the winner needing ten frames to lift the famous Paul Hunter Trophy.

All matches are played on a single table at Alexandra Palace in London, creating a unique theatre-like setting and ensuring every shot is under the spotlight. Sessions typically take place in the afternoon and evening, allowing fans to follow the action live throughout the week.

Live Match: John Higgins vs Barry Hawkins (0–0)

Attention tonight is firmly on the clash between John Higgins and Barry Hawkins, with the match currently level at 0–0. It is a classic Masters encounter between two of the game’s most experienced and respected competitors.

Higgins, a four-time world champion, is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in snooker history. His tactical awareness, break-building ability and composure under pressure make him a perennial threat at Alexandra Palace, where experience often proves decisive.

Hawkins, meanwhile, is known for his consistency and calm temperament. A regular presence in the latter stages of major tournaments, he has reached multiple Triple Crown finals and is renowned for his granite-like safety play. While he may not always grab the headlines, Hawkins has the game to trouble any opponent on his day.

With both players comfortable in long, tactical battles, this match promises to be a measured and strategic contest, where small margins could decide the outcome.

Full Match Schedule Overview

The Masters opens with eight first-round matches spread across several days, followed by four quarter-finals, two semi-finals and the showpiece final. Each round increases in intensity as the field narrows, with the pressure mounting on every visit to the table.

The quarter-finals and semi-finals often produce classic encounters, while the final remains one of the most sought-after titles in the sport, thanks to its prestige and prize money.

Why the Masters Matters

While it does not carry ranking points, the Masters is prized by players and fans alike. Winning the tournament is a marker of greatness, and lifting the trophy at Alexandra Palace places a player among snooker’s elite.

As John Higgins and Barry Hawkins get underway at 0–0, the latest chapter of this historic event begins — and another potential Masters classic could be about to unfold.