Barry Hawkins has been off-colour so far this season but a return to London’s Alexandra Palace, one of his happier hunting grounds, could see the Englishman go far in the tournament. Hawkins, a three-time World Championship semi-finalist, has suffered six first-round exits during the 2017/18 campaign and has failed to make the last-four stage of any tournament.
The Kent-born star’s best result this term was a run to the quarter-finals of the Hong Kong Masters in July last year, where he lost 5-3 to home favourite Marco Fu. However, a return to Alexandra Palace could be just what the world number seven needs to get him firing on all cylinders again and he is currently priced at 22/1 to win the Dafabet Masters. The 38-year-old lost in the final back in 2016 after being thumped 10-1 by Ronnie O’Sullivan before being edged out 6-5 by compatriot Joe Perry in the semi-finals last year.
Hawkins has often saved his best form for the London spectacle and he will be confident of ousting first-round opponent Kyren Wilson when they go head-to-head on Tuesday. The 2017 World Grand Prix champion has won 10 of their 14 meetings although Wilson, who has lost in the final of the World Open and English Open this season, did manage to get the better last time out when winning 3-1 in the Championship League Group 3 semi-final.
Hawkins is the 8/11 favourite to advance into the quarter-finals whilst his opponent, who is 28/1 to win the entire event, is priced at 21/20 to move into the last-eight.
Dafabet Masters odds available at Dafabet (Enhanced odds available for this match!).