Snooker results: John Higgins beats Hossein Vafaei 6-3 at the Players Championship

Vafaei was making his debut in this prestigious event following his maiden ranking title success at the Shoot Out last month, but despite enjoying a promising start, he was ultimately put in his place by Higgins who finished the match with a real flourish.

Higgins took his time to warm to the task, missing a black with the rest in the opening frame to hand Vafaei the early advantage, and the Iranian soon found himself 2-0 in front when winning frame two.

Higgins still wasn't at his fluent best as he dragged himself back into the contest, edging the third frame and dominating the fourth to draw level at the mid-session interval.

However, the Scot looked a man transformed after the break, putting together a clearance of 134 before adding a run of 101 in frame seven after Vafaei had chalked up his third frame of the afternoon.

Thereafter, it was one-way traffic as Higgins produced another century, this time a typically pinpoint contribution of 108, to move two clear and put himself within a single frame of a quarter-final meeting with Jimmy Robertson.

There was to be no fourth century, but Higgins wasted little time in closing out the match, dominating the ninth frame to end Vafaei's brave resistance and ensure he is the third member of the Class of 92 to secure his place in the last eight.

On the second table, Robertson claimed a huge victory over Scottish Open champion Luca Brecel, winning 6-1.

Brecel took the opening frame but struggled for his best all afternoon, Robertson taking his chance in fine style and winning the last four frames with breaks of 51, 51, 91, 56 and 60.

Ricky Walden beat Mark Williams 6-5 to book his place in the semi-finals.