2018 Masters The Final (best of 19)

Sunday, 21 January

Mark Allen 10-7 Kyren Wilson

Mark Allen beat Kyren Wilson 10-7 to become the first Northern Irishman to win the Masters since Dennis Taylor in 1987.

The final at the Alexandra Palace was a tight affair until the 11th frame, when Allen, 31, made a 73 break to move 6-5 ahead before adding 119 in the next.

Englishman Wilson, the world number 14, went another frame behind before rallying to pull it back to 8-7.

Allen responded with breaks of 69 and 71 to take the £200,000 first prize.

Allen, with three ranking titles to his name, was the outstanding favourite for this final - he even intimated that after his impressive semi-final victory over John Higgins.

However, the last time the pair met in one of snooker's majors - at the 2016 World Championship - the Antrim player was beaten 13-9.

Wilson, 26, had got to this stage with wins over Barry Hawkins, Mark Williams and lastly, and most impressively, Judd Trump.

He only entered the top 16 after a 2015-16 season during which he won his only ranking title to date - the Shanghai Masters.

Allen class shines through

The first session was laced with tension and errors. It included a memorable fourth frame that lasted 46 minutes, and was interrupted by another intruding wasp - following a similar incident earlier in the tournament - and a spectator who failed to switch his phone to silent.

That latter interruption came with Wilson over the final green. He potted the ball but left himself in a poor position, then missed an easy pink. Allen went on to level the scores at 2-2, before moving a frame ahead.

Wilson regrouped and made two 80-plus breaks, but Allen hit back to level once more before the interval.

After a 40-minute ninth frame was won by Allen, the arms of both players loosened.

Wilson had a break of 84 before Allen hit back with a 73 and established a two-frame advantage - the first of the final - with a run of 119.

That became 8-5 with a 50 break before Wilson produced a 73 to clinch the 15th frame and reduce the deficit to one.

The Kettering player had come from 5-2 down to defeat Trump in the semi-finals, but there was to be no repeat as Allen clinched the final two frames for a deserved victory, his first snooker major and the biggest first prize of his career.

2018 Masters Semi Finals (best of 11 frames)

Saturday, 20 January

13:30 Kyren Wilson 6-5 Judd Trump
19:00 Mark Allen 6-3 John Higgins

2018 Masters 1/4 finals [best of 11 frames]

Thursday, 18 January

13:00: Ronnie O'Sullivan 1-6 Mark Allen
19:00: Mark Williams 1-6 Kyren Wilson


Friday, 19 January

13:00: Judd Trump 6-4 Shaun Murphy
19:00: John Higgins 6-1 Ryan Day

2018 Masters Round 1 [best of 11 frames]

Sunday 14 January

13:00: Mark Selby 5-6 Mark Williams
19:00: Mark Allen 6-3 Luca Brecel


Monday 15 January

13:00: Ding Junhui 4-6 Ryan Day
19:00: Judd Trump 6-4 Liang Wenbo


Tuesday 16 January

13:00: Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-0 Marco Fu
19:00: Barry Hawkins 4-6 Kyren Wilson


Wednesday 17 January

13:00: Shaun Murphy 6-4 Ali Carter
19:00: John Higgins 6-4 Anthony McGill

2017 UK Championship Final (O'Sullivan 10-5 Murphy)

Shaun Murphy 1-5 Ronnie O'Sullivan (Match Score 5-10)

Ronnie O'Sullivan equalled Steve Davis's haul of six UK Championship titles by beating Shaun Murphy 10-5 in an high-quality final in York.

O'Sullivan also drew level with Stephen Hendry's 18 'Triple Crown' titles of the World, UK and Masters events.

The pair shared the first eight frames including a century apiece, but O'Sullivan seized control with four breaks over 50 and two further tons.

He won five frames in a row to clinch his 31st ranking title.

2017 UK Championship semi finals

Semi-finals (best of 11 frames)

Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-4 Stephen Maguire

Five-time winner Ronnie O'Sullivan held off Stephen Maguire's spirited fightback to reach his seventh UK Championship final with a 6-4 victory.

O'Sullivan, beaten in last year's final by Mark Selby, looked in ominous form early on, opening up a 4-0 lead with breaks of 61, 54 and 64.

Maguire made 91 and 129 as he cut the deficit to 5-4, but O'Sullivan - who had a 111 clearance - edged through.

He faces 2008 winner Shaun Murphy or Ryan Day in Sunday's best-of-19 final.

"He came back at me but I was lucky to be 4-0 ahead," O'Sullivan told BBC Sport.

"He didn't capitalise on the first few frames and I did well to stay in and am pleased to reach another UK final.

"I knew he was playing well because I saw his results and he looked to be cueing well. I knew I had to play decent to get through."

Maguire added: "It would have been nice to get to 5-5 and see what happens. He was starting to rock a little bit because nobody likes it when you come back on them. I just did not get a chance."

O'Sullivan improving with age

O'Sullivan is aiming to equal Steve Davis' haul of six UK titles and victory would also draw him level with Stephen Hendry's 18 'Triple Crown' triumphs in the BBC's World, UK and Masters events.

At 42 years old, it will also be his third ranking final of an outstanding season, having already claimed the English Open and Shanghai Masters, as well as finishing runner-up in two invitational events.

The second frame was crucial as Maguire could have levelled at 1-1 but missed a simple final black off the spot, allowing O'Sullivan to take it.

The mid-session interval seemed to help Maguire, who hit back by winning four of the next five frames, but O'Sullivan progressed with a 63 break after his opponent's poor safety.

O'Sullivan said he has had to "battle and battle" for form this year, and feels he has yet to hit theheights of 12 months ago despite that final loss to Selby.

"You have to tough it out sometimes," added O'Sullivan.

"There is no player in the game who can play badly and win apart from Mark Selby, he is the only guy. This week I have not been at my best but I have dug in and it is all down to positive mental attitude.

"For me, Selby is in his prime. He has not done well in this tournament but he has won a title this season. He is definitely the best player in the world and I am able to give him a game on my day.

"It is about consistency and he has had that over the last few years."

Shaun Murphy 6-3 Ryan Day

Five-time winner Ronnie O'Sullivan set up an intriguing contest against Shaun Murphy by reaching his seventh UK Championship final.

The two Englishmen have not seen eye-to-eye during their careers and Murphy beat O'Sullivan at last month's invitational Champion of Champions event.

O'Sullivan held off a semi-final fightback from Stephen Maguire to progress 6-4, while Murphy was in fine form defeating Ryan Day 6-3.

Sunday's best-of-19 final starts at 13:00 GMT and concludes from 19:00, live on BBC Two and the BBC Sport website.

2017 UK Championship 1/4 finals also new BBC deal for Snooker

Quarter-finals (Best of 11 frames)

Stephen Maguire 6-3 Joe Perry
Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-3 Martin Gould
Shaun Murphy 6-1 Mark King 
Ryan Day 6-5 Mark Joyce 

The BBC has agreed a five-year contract extension to broadcast World Snooker's three major tournaments.

The deal to show the World Championship, UK Championship and the Masters on TV and online now runs until the end of the 2023-24 season.

This year's UK Championship is under way York, with the Masters in London in January and the World Championship in Sheffield in April and May.

Snooker has been televised by the BBC since 1969.

World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn said: "So many great moments in the history of our sport are synonymous with the coverage they have received on the BBC.

"The Triple Crown tournaments have a history which can't be replicated and bring something extra special to snooker fans and those watching on the BBC alike."

Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport said: "The new deal means that these events will continue to be televised free-to-air for many years to come, which is fantastic news for the many millions of fans around the UK."