Barry Hawkins’ progress at the BetVictor Welsh Open followed a fairly familiar and well-trodden path, with the Hawk happy to fly below the radar and leave most of the talking to everyone else. With a ranking title, a Crucible final and a career-high world ranking under his belt, the left-hander from Kent increasingly has very little to prove to anyone. But one of the reasons Hawkins remains popular with his peers was evident after his 5-0 win over Marco Fu in Friday night’s quarter-finals. Hawkins remained in the arena to watch stable-mate and friend Joe Perry trying to close out his win over world No2 Mark Selby, and even after being called for press duties could hardly keep his eyes off the screens during the tense final stages which were being shown in the media centre. A few minutes later there was a big joint On Q Promotions celebration, with boss Paul Mount leading the party.

Let’s hope Ronnie O’Sullivan did not offend anyone at the Emirates this week, where he has been known to enjoy the odd day out in one of their excellent hospitality areas. The Rocket compared his titanic quarter-final clash in Newport with John Higgins, two players with nine world titles, 41 other ranking titles and seven Masters crowns between them,  as like “Manchester City against Chelsea”, the two financial powerhouses of English Premier League football currently. At the time of his comments O’Sullivan’s own team, Arsenal, stood in second place, just a point adrift of Chelsea and ahead of City. Unlike O’Sullivan though, the Gunners could really do with a trophy or two in the cabinet.

Joel Walker took the opportunity to share a cautionary travel tale with fellow teenager Scott Donaldson at the BetVictor Welsh Open. The two youngsters did themselves proud in Newport, with Donaldson matching his best ever run at a full ranking event and Walker, also 19, stunning defending champion Stephen Maguire to reach at least the quarter-finals, further than he had ever been before in a fledgling two-year professional career. But the Sheffield youngster had a warning for Donaldson, heading for Haikou in just a few days. At the Wuxi Classic this season Walker, not used to the jetlag such trips to China can bring on, fell into a deep sleep and missed the traditional welcome ceremonies, a PR obligation under the players’ contract. This saw world No84 Walker harshly fined, but formed part of a learning curve that he was keen to share with the Perth potter.

WORLD champion Ronnie O’Sullivan picked Joel Walker out as a 16-year-old to win a ‘Pot Idol’ style talent competition put on by Rileys almost four years ago and held in the Winter Gardens in Sheffield during the World Championships.

After ending up being the Rocket’s top choice in that ‘Future Stars’ selection process Walker, now 19 and ranked 84th in the world, turned professional two years ago,

O’Sullivan was watching in the media centre as Walker beat defending champion Stephen Maguire to reach his first ranking-event quarter-final.

He said: “I picked him in the Future Stars, he was the best of the juniors coming through and I have followed his career very closely. He did well in a PTC in Antwerp and I was actually surprised, he has improved so much in such a short space of time. He is starting to get results against good players and I am so happy for him. I think he will win tournaments now, he obviously has that love and desire for the game, he wants to play and is improving rapidly. I picked a good ‘un there, maybe I should be a scout more often.”

It was like that moment when someone hurriedly takes the black-ish suitcase off the airport baggage belt and leaves for home, without checking the name. John Higgins and close friend Stephen Maguire finished their last-32 matches at almost exactly the same time on Wednesday night, the older man having beaten Mark King 4-0 with the defending champion seeing off Andrew Pagett by the same scoreline. The pair rattled through their press duties, both looking to take advantage of a relatively early 8.30pm finish and enjoy something of the evening. But in his haste Higgins, picking up what is an admittedly similar case to his own, rushed out of the Newport Centre building with Maguire’s cue. Rolling his eyes Maguire left with Higgins’ own playing equipment, hoping to track his pal down as soon as possible for an exchange before their last-16 matches on Thursday.