January 29th 2025.
On Tuesday night, Aaron Hill achieved one of the biggest victories of his career. He faced off against Mark Williams at the German Masters and emerged victorious with a score of 5-2. The 22-year-old Irishman started off strong with two consecutive half-centuries, taking a 2-0 lead. However, the three-time world champion fought back and drew level. But Hill didn't let the pressure get to him and won the next three frames, sealing the deal with an impressive break of 115.
Although Hill has had a relatively unremarkable season so far, his win against Williams has added another legend to his list of defeated opponents. Hill's first season on tour in 2020 began with a bang as he famously beat Ronnie O'Sullivan in the European Masters. Now, he can add a big win in the Tempodrom to his list of achievements.
In an interview after the match, Hill expressed his excitement and gratitude, saying, "I'm absolutely delighted, especially with the way I finished off in one visit. It's an amazing feeling to beat someone like Mark Williams. Just a couple of years ago, I was dreaming of playing in venues like this. It was always a goal of mine to qualify for this event, and now I've finally achieved it. The Tempodrom is such a unique venue with a great atmosphere and supportive crowds. It's a fantastic feeling."
Hill's next opponent in the last 32 is Jimmy Robertson, who also had a tough match against Noppon Saengkham, eventually winning 5-4 on Tuesday.
The German Masters has not seen many upsets in the first two days of the tournament, with Hill's win being the standout moment. Another notable victory was Alexander Ursenbacher's 5-3 win over Jack Lisowski. The Swiss player has had a challenging few years, but this win will surely boost his confidence as he prepares to face Ali Carter in the next round.
Ursenbacher shared some wise words about dealing with pressure, saying, "Pressure is just an illusion. It's there, but it's not real. We create it in our minds. When I walked in here a few days ago with no one in the audience, I felt calm. But today, with people sitting there, I was shaking and could barely walk. But it's something that becomes easier to handle. It never goes away, but I'm learning to deal with it."
Another player looking to make a comeback is John Higgins, who won his first-round match against Mark Davis. This victory comes after a heartbreaking loss at the Masters earlier this month, where he lost 6-5 to Neil Robertson after leading 5-1. Reflecting on this defeat, Higgins expressed the toll that these types of losses have on him, saying, "This sport has given me so much over the years, but it also takes a bit of your soul with each defeat. As you fall down the rankings, it can start to take away some of the goodness. It can be a brutal sport at times."
Higgins will face Jak Jones in the next round, who is coming off a record-breaking performance at the Championship League, where he scored 32 centuries, the most ever by a player in one event.
Other notable matches to look out for on Wednesday in Berlin include world champion Kyren Wilson against Zhou Yuelong, Judd Trump facing Joe O'Connor, a rematch of the Wuhan Open final between Si Jiahui and Xiao Guodong, Masters champion Shaun Murphy playing Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, and Mark Allen taking on Wu Yize. It's sure to be an exciting day of snooker as these top players battle it out for a spot in the next round.
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