Higgins Ends Welsh Hopes Of A Home Champion
Wales' hopes of a home win at the Wyldecrest Parks Welsh Open fell by the wayside last night as the final hope, Matthew Stevens, lost 5-3 to defending champion John Higgins in Newport.
Higgins opened up a 3-1 lead at the mid-session interval and looked to be on his way to the semi-finals.
The Welshman took the first frame with a 77 break but a 43 in the second, backed by 35 in a scrappy third frame took Higgins into the lead.
And the defending champion turned on the afterburners with a superb 132 to go two frames in front and in pole position to take the semi-final place.
But Stevens re-grouped and came out to win the next two frames and level the match again at 3-3.
Higgins ramped up the volume again to go 4-3 ahead and looked like setting up a repeat of last year’s final against Allister Carter in the semi-finals when he went 30-0 ahead in the eight.
Stevens would not give up without a fight, though, and what his positional play lacked, was countered by some of the best ‘single-ball’ potting of the week, reaching 49 before having to play safe.
The former Masters and UK champion earned a chance but when he failed to pot a tough red to a baulk pocket, the match was effectively handed to his opponent.
Higgins said: "Obviously, Matthew was desperate to win because he wanted to get his top 16 place back so there was a lot of pressure on there and it just came down to missing one or two that Matthew Stevens would not normally miss”.
Stevens, though, didn't feel he was under that pressure, and said the pot attempt at the end was the right decision.
He said he was not tempted to put Higgins back in. "It was quite an easy snooker to get out of. He just under hit the first one. That was also a pot I would hit nine times out of ten and you just have to go for it when you have the chance. I missed it but it was still the right shot to play.
"I started off well in the first frame and felt relaxed. I didn't really get into it in the first session and John kept me off the table a bit.
"It was not a classic but I felt comfortable about it so I can take some positives. I felt great and that is what you practice for, to play John in front of a big crowd. It just didn't come off."
