Fan Zhengyi continued his impressive form at the Shanghai Masters with a superb 6-3 win over Mark Allen to advance to the quarter-finals.
The 22-year-old is an unpredictable performer, memorably winning the 2022 European Masters title out of nowehere, but also well accustomed to a first round loss.
He is looking in very good nick in Shanghai this week as he followed up a 6-2 win over Gary Wilson in his opening game with a brilliant victory over the Pistol on Wednesday.
World number three Allen looked great as he opened the match with a break of 135 and was leading the game 3-2 at one stage, but that was before Fan really hit his stride.
The Chinese talent made breaks of 88, 91 and 84 in the last four frames, during which time Allen scored just nine points as he was almost entirely frozen out.
The pair had met twice before with Allen winning comfortably on both occasions, so it was a notable upset and a morale-boosting win for Fan who sets up a quarter-final clash with either Neil Robertson or Ding Junhui.
It is a blow to Allen in a tournament he described as his ‘favourite event in China’ after an early exit from the European Masters last month as well.
Also booking a quarter-final spot on Wednesday morning was world champion Luca Brecel who battled to a 6-4 win over Mark Williams.
The contest had a bit of everything, with both men making centuries, while they also dug into tactical battles when required.
Brecel downed Williams on his way to the Crucible title in April, which was his first ever win over the Welshman, and he has followed it up with another big victory in China.
The Belgian Bullet takes on either Shaun Murphy or Robert Milkins in the last eight as he looks to follow up his shock Crucible triumph in style.
Wednesday afternoon (UK time) sees those quarter-final line-ups completed as Robertson takes on Ding and Murphy meets Milkins.
MORE : Ronnie O’Sullivan all business in opening Shanghai Masters win: ‘I’d love to win this tournament’
MORE : Mark Williams intends to spoil Luca Brecel’s Shanghai Masters party: ‘The wave always comes crashing down’
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