STEPHEN MAGUIRE believes it will take something special to stop him after producing snooker of the highest quality to book his place in the German Masters quarter-finals.
Maguire overcame Englishman Mark King 5-2 to set up a mouth-watering last-eight clash with in-form world No.2 Neil Robertson on Friday evening.
The man affectionately known as 'On-Fire Maguire' lived up to his nickname from the off - producing a classy break of 107 in the opening frame.
Although King levelled proceedings at 1-1, a second century break of the match, this time a fluent 119, restored the world No. 12's advantage.
The Romford man did notch another frame but breaks of 74 and 73, the latter after King missed when on a maximum, clinched victory for Maguire.
The win follows an equally impressive first-round triumph over David Gilbert, where the Scot held off a comeback attempt from his opponent to win 5-3 and he must now be considered one of the men to beat in Germany.
And the 33-year-old admits he couldn't be happier with the current state of his game heading into the Robertson showdown.
"I played well," said Maguire. "I made two 70s and two centuries, so that is heavy scoring and I'm pleased with how things went.
"Right now I'm scoring when I get in and the long pots are starting to go in, so I can be quite dangerous.
"In the last frame I knew right away that Mark was on a maximum - when he was on 30 or 40, all the reds were down by the black, so I knew he had a chance.
"He was unlucky because I think if he pots that red with the rest then I think there is only one tricky red on the cushion, so he would have had a good chance of making it.
"That was the key red because if he makes it then it's frame over, so I'm glad he missed it."
Maguire believes he will be the underdog going into his quarter-final with Neil Robertson, who is yet to lose a frame in this tournament.
The Australian has looked imperious downing both Fergal O'Brien and Xiao Guodong 5-0 as he looks to win his first German Masters title.
And while Maguire insists he won't be looking past Robertson, he admits he would also love to lift the trophy for the first time in one of his favourite events.
"This is a brilliant tournament," added Maguire. "It's one of the best venues we play at because the fans get really involved.
"I was lucky enough to play a final here in 2012 [he lost 9-7 to Ronnie O'Sullivan] and to this day it's still the best atmosphere I have ever played in.
"But there are still three matches to go and it doesn't get any easier when you get to the quarter-finals.
"I'll just try to get a frame off Neil in the next match - make it hard for him!
"I'm playing the man in form - his form is probably even better than mine, so I'll be the underdog and we will just see what happens.
"Being the underdog doesn't bother me - if I played Neil five years ago he probably would have been the underdog and it didn't affect me then , so It doesn't bother me now."
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