Luca Brecel battles back to reach quarter-finals in Shanghai Masters

The Belgian world number two responded to his early setback with runs of 77, 92 and 107 to move 3-2 only for his opponent to hit back with 110.

Brecel edged ahead in the ninth frame despite potting the blue while trying to hit the reds but Williams twice sank the white in the next frame as his opponent closed out victory.

He will now face Robert Milkins, who edged out Shaun Murphy 6-5 in an up-and-down encounter.

Murphy won four in a row, including a break of 135, to establish a 4-2 lead but Milkins bounced back with three in succession, with a 120 of his own, and although Murphy levelled things up he lost the decider.

Former European Masters champion Fan Zhengyi won the final four frames to beat Mark Allen 6-3 and set up a meeting with Neil Robertson.

The world number six came through with a tense 6-5 win over Ding Junhui, who stood on the brink of victory after winning four successive frames only for Robertson to put together a run of three himself.

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