World Championship 2019: Neil Robertson thrashes Shaun Murphy 13-6 to reach quarter-finals

Media caption,

World Snooker Championship: Neil Robertson beats Shaun Murphy - best shots

Betfred World Snooker Championship

Venue: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Dates: 20 April-6 May

Coverage: Watch live on BBC One, BBC Two, Red Button, iPlayer, Connected TV, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app.

World number four Neil Robertson thrashed Shaun Murphy 13-6 to become the first man through to the World Championship quarter-finals.

The 2010 champion led 10-6 heading into the evening session and his third ton of the match stretched his lead.

A break of 88 put the Australian within one frame of victory against the world number 13 - a target he reached by scoring his ninth break of 50 plus.

He will play either Stuart Bingham or John Higgins in the last eight.

Robertson, 37, was in devastating form throughout, replicating the quality that has earned three ranking event titles and two runners-up spots in his most successful ever season.

The Cambridge-based left-hander said he is enjoying playing with "freedom".

"Coming in 10-6 ahead was a really good lead and I played well," he said. "Against Shaun I knew I had play well to win.

"I am just playing. I really want to win but I am not worrying about the results and just playing to entertain the crowd."

Murphy, the 2005 champion, said his opponent was "simply too good".

"I was bang up against it from the moment I drew Neil," he said.

"He was absolutely unplayable. It is one of the best performances I have seen at the Crucible and if he plays like that he will win the tournament. Get the engravers ready."

Maguire remains on top against Cahill

Elsewhere, Scotland's Stephen Maguire built a 9-7 lead after two sessions of his last-16 meeting with Ronnie O'Sullivan's conqueror James Cahill.

The world number 15 and Cahill, the first amateur to play at the Crucible, both scored a ton and a half-century as the first four frames were shared.

Two further breaks of 50-plus and a beautifully constructed 125 put Maguire three frames ahead at 5-2, but qualifier Cahill, 23, won the next to stay in touch.

Maguire, 38, and the Blackpool man once again shared the first four frames of the session when play resumed.

Cahill then levelled at 7-7 thanks to breaks of 69 and 52, only for two-time World Championship semi-finalist Maguire to restore his two-frame with a half-century and a superb 121.

The winner will play either Judd Trump or Ding Junhui in the last eight.

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