Barry Hawkins admits heonce againfailed to cope with the pressure of the occasionafter crashing out in the first round of the Masters in London, writes Luke Baker of Sportsbeat.

Hawkins was no match for an inspired Ali Carter, who triumphed 6-1 in his first major match since being given the all-clear from cancer, at Alexandra Palace.

Carter, who received the good news in December after being diagnosed with a cancerous tumour on his lung last May, was greeted with a standing ovation that seemed to spur him to produce his best snooker.

He raced into a two-frame lead and although Hawkins snatched the third, Carter made a high break of 130 to cruise to victory in just over two hours.

Hawkins has not won a single match at the Masters in five attempts and the 35-year-old Ditton man acknowledges that he has never felt truly comfortable at the event.

“There’s a lot of prestige that goes with this tournament and I’ve played all right the last couple of years but just thrown it away right at the end,” he said.

“But this time I was never in it – I don’t know what it is. There’s a lot of pressure that goes with this tournament and I think that showed with my performance. I was just really bad.

“It’s just all about settling out there and I found it really difficult at the start. I can’t prepare any better – I’ve been practising hard and done all the right things so I can’t blame it on that.

“I think it is just mindset most of the time with me – if I can get that right then I will be dangerous but I can’t find that magic formula at the moment.”

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