Snooker results: Ronnie O'Sullivan into European Masters as Neil Robertson crashes out

The Rocket made his intentions clear early on with a dazzling break of 141 and although Hugill attempted to put him off his stride with some unorthodox breaks made famous by Mark Williams in previous seasons, he was always in control.

A classy run of 96 doubled his advantage before Hugill got on the board with a break of 77 but then wowed the crowd with a mesmerising positional shot on the final red to help him pinch the next.

Hugill pulled another back with a break of 73 only for O'Sullivan to compile his 1138th career century with an effort of 105 before finishing the job with two runs of 52 and 58 in frame seven.

Asked how he would like to be remembered when he eventually retires, the six-time World Champion said: "As someone who played the game in a unique way. I craft breaks in an effortless manner and I know I’m going to do it. That’s why I play snooker because it makes me feel like Superman sometimes. I have tried a lot of things in my life but I’m yet to find anything else that makes me feel as good and as strong."

O'Sullivan, who faces Tom Ford next, is now hot favourite to win a record-extending 39th ranking title - and second of the season - following the shock exits of Neil Robertson and Judd Trump.

Robertson, who had scored four centuries in a 5-0 victory earlier in the tournament, suffered a 5-4 defeat to Pang Junxu in a high-quality contest during the morning session despite leading 4-2 at one stage thanks to breaks of 91, 104 and 100.

Pang, who won the Rookie of the Year award after an impressive debut season in 2020/21, hit back with 73 and 101 for 4-4 before clinching the decider with a cool run of 90.

“Pang played a great match,” said Robertson. “He potted some incredible balls in the last frame. His technique is really good and if he keeps improving he could be a top player before long.”

However, Pang later bowed during the evening session when David Gilbert defeated him 5-3 to reach the quarter-finals.

Gilbert will face Fan Zhengyi in the last eight and has turned his fortunes around after an indifferent run heading into the tournament which saw him lose in qualifying for the BetVictor Welsh Open and Nirvana Turkish Masters and lose in the first round of the Cazoo Players Championship.

Gilbert took a 2-0 lead before Pang pulled it back to 2-2 but he restored his two-frame advantage.

Pang again rallied but a break of 69 in the eighth frame settled matters.

Gilbert told the World Snooker Tour’s official website: “I played well, that was the best I have felt in a long time.

“I scored well and that’s what the game is all about. I was 2-0 up and cruising then he potted a couple of absolute worldies and fought back to 2-2. But I finished the match off well.

Trump had previously joined a growing list of big-name casualties when losing 5-3 to Kurt Maflin despite firing in the only two century breaks of the match.

But the 2020 World Championship quarter-finalist wouldn't go much further in the tournament as he bowed out to Anthony McGill 5-3.

Maflin hit three century breaks but that was not enough, with McGill making decisive runs of 70, 72, 85 and 91 to progress. He will now meet Liang Wenbo, who saw off Yuan Sijun 5-2.

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