We have reached the semi-finals stage in Berlin, we are down to one table and the line-up is somewhat unexpected. This afternoon Robert Milkis will face Ali Carter, and tonight Jack Lisowski will do battle with Tom Ford.
Here are the reports by WST reporting on what happened yesterday
Chris Wakelin continued a red hot streak of form, winning his 16th consecutive match on the circuit and beating Neil Robertson 5-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the BetVictor German Masters in Berlin.
The Nuneaton cueman claimed an emotional first ranking event win with victory at the BetVictor Shoot Out last Saturday. This afternoon’s result puts him in a strong position to qualify for the upcoming Players Championship and solidifies his position in the top 16 on the one-year list. Robertson has been left with work to do if he is to be in Wolverhampton to defend his title.
It is a quick turnaround for Wakelin, who now faces Robert Milkins in the quarter-finals this evening. Last season’s BetVictor Gibraltar Open winner Milkins came through with an impressive 5-3 defeat of Luca Brecel.
Robertson seized the early initiative this afternoon, moving 3-1 ahead at the mid-session interval. However, Wakelin appears to have been buoyed by last week’s landmark victory and displayed great resolve to force his way back into contention.
Breaks of 102 and 50 helped him to take the next three frames and move one from the win at 4-3. Australia’s 23-time ranking event winner Robertson showed his class to fire in a 133 and force a decider. It was Wakelin who again showed his steel under pressure and runs of 46 and 20 helped him over the line for a huge win.
Ali Carter eased to a 5-1 win over Louis Heathcote to book his place in the last eight. He now faces Pang Junxu, who beat Ricky Walden 5-1.
Robert Milkins has enjoyed a firework laden path to his first Tempodrom semi-final at the BetVictor German Masters in Berlin, making 146 and 147 breaks along the way, capped off by clinching a 5-2 victory over Chris Wakelin this evening.
The 147 break came in the second frame of tonight’s tie and solidified Milkins’ grip on the high £5,000 high break prize. It’s the third maximum in his career and first since 2012.
Milkins, 46, enjoyed a landmark maiden ranking crown last season when he won the Gibraltar Open. It was a moment which was 27 years in the making, having initially turned professional all the way back in 1995. He will be hoping to draw on those memories tomorrow when he faces Ali Carter in the famous single table setup at the Tempodrom.
Defeat for Wakelin ends a 16 match winning streak, which included capturing his maiden ranking title at last week’s BetVictor Shoot Out. He scored an impressive 5-4 win over 2010 World Champion Neil Robertson this afternoon, but defeating Milkins this evening proved to be a bridge too far.
The 147 break drew things level at 1-1 and from there Milkins took control. Runs of 60 and 65 helped him to a further three frames on the bounce to make it 4-1. Wakelin responded commendably with a superb break of 116 to make it 4-2. However, Gloucester’s Milkins got himself over the line with 86 in the seventh to emerge a 5-2 victor.
“It is unbelievable. I am shocked myself, because I haven’t been scoring all season. My safety has been so good and it has been winning me matches. The 146 came from nowhere and I went out tonight and hit a 147,” said world number 31 Milkins. “I was so nervous through the break. It wasn’t really on. There were a lot of reds congested and it just worked out really well.
“Any break over 140 is brilliant. Now I’m in the semi-finals. If I’d have come off having lost the game, I wouldn’t have had the same buzz. Being in the tournament is more important than making breaks. It is just the icing on the cake. It has been a really good week for me and I hope it continues.
“The crowd in there are incredible. When the maximum went in, I’ve never felt anything like that. It was so good and you’ve got to give the fans credit.”
Essex cueman Carter earned his last four spot with a hard fought 5-3 win over China’s Pang Junxu.
The Captain is a former finalist in Berlin, having made the title match in 2017. On that occasion he lost out to Anthony Hamilton, but he will be hoping to claim victory this time around and secure a first ranking event win since the 2016 World Open.
Carter hammered home breaks of 61, 122, 111, 50 and 80 on his way to this evening’s win and now faces Milkins in tomorrow’s first semi-final at 2pm.
Tom Ford is through to the eighth ranking semi-final of his career after an impressive 5-2 defeat of 2019 German Masters winner Kyren Wilson.
Ford is yet to win his first ranking title, but has shown signs of strong form so far this season, having made the last four at the UK Championship before Christmas.
The Leicester potter closed out this evening’s victory with a break of 99 in the seventh frame and now faces Jack Lisowski in the semis tomorrow evening at 8pm.
Lisowski is also in hot pursuit of a dream maiden title and beat Xiao Guodong 5-3 to seal his semi-final berth.
The 31-year-old has already made the semi-finals at the UK Championship and the Masters this season. Breaks of 98, 54 and 78 helped him on his way to tonight’s win.
Here is Milkins’s 147, shared by WST on their YouTube channel … in short form unfortunately
Both Jack Lisowski and Tom Ford will try to win their first ranking title this week-end. One of them will reach the final. Twice before this tournament (in its present form) has seen players win their maiden title: Martin Gould won it in 2016 and Anthony Hamilton in 2017.
One thought on “2023 German Masters … onto the semi-finals”
The Friday night Q-finals at the Tempodrom is one of the best nights on the snooker calendar. Unfortunately I was late and missed the 147! Nevertheless, it was a great atmosphere in the packed auditorium. They are shortly selling tickets for this event next year, so probably the event’s future is secured for another year, but I do feel the structure needs to be modified (perhaps a tiered draw). But Milkins has helped with his 147, and Lisowski might also win his first top-level tournement. However the four remaining players are all a bit unpredictable, so all of them have a realistic chance. I’m travelling back home today.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 
The Friday night Q-finals at the Tempodrom is one of the best nights on the snooker calendar. Unfortunately I was late and missed the 147! Nevertheless, it was a great atmosphere in the packed auditorium. They are shortly selling tickets for this event next year, so probably the event’s future is secured for another year, but I do feel the structure needs to be modified (perhaps a tiered draw). But Milkins has helped with his 147, and Lisowski might also win his first top-level tournement. However the four remaining players are all a bit unpredictable, so all of them have a realistic chance. I’m travelling back home today.