Higgins Snatches Emotional Win
John Higgins won five frames in a row to claim an emotional win over Mark Williams in Telford to win the 12Bet.com UK Championship.
After a turbulent year, the Scot’s Christmas dinner may tastes slightly better after ending 2010 on a high.
In May, the News of the World made allegations of bribery and corruption, of which he was later cleared. He was found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute and suspended for six-months which allowed the newly crowned world champion, Neil Robertson to take over his number one spot.
Having played just three events since his return on November 1, he has regained the top spot having won two and lost in the final of a third, proving to be as tough an opponent as ever with added determination.
It was Williams who made the early running, with the Welshman making his two highest breaks of the tournament, 83 and 85 in the opening exchanges, ending the session leading by six-frames-to-two.
In the evening, Williams maintained his lead by sharing the first four frames before the mid-session interval.
On resumption, Higgins looked threatening with a break of 105 to close to within three frames, only for his opponent to win a scrappy 14th frame and move within sight of his first UK title since 2002.
The Scot closed the gap in the next with the help of an early 45 break and added the next without Williams troubling the scorer.
The two-time world champion is renowned for having one of the best temperaments in the history of the game remained unflustered and when his chance came at the start of the 17th frame, he took it with both hands.
With apparent ease, he manoeuvred the balls into position and past the 50-break mark, but needing just a red and colour to seal an amazing ‘comeback’ of his own, he missed a red along the back cushion.
Higgins made a break of 40 to get back into the game, but when Williams potted the last red with a black to lead by 29 with just the colours remaining, it seemed he had done enough.
The left-hander made sure of the black, sacrificing position on the yellow and played safe. Higgins proceeded to land the snooker, from which Williams escaped.
Williams fiance, Jo could hardly watch as two shots later and it was a different story as Williams failed to apply enough swerve to the cue-ball and gave Higgins the four points he needed to be able to win.
From situations like that, Higgins is relentless and cleared from yellow to black to deal a huge body blow and move within just one frame.
Many players would crumble instantly at the scale of what had just happened, but Williams came back and immediately looked comfortable. However, he ran out of position and Higgins once again pounced with a run of 52 to force the deciding frame.
In the last, Williams forced the first chance and again appeared to be calm in taking two reds and colours before a loose safety shot forced him to take a difficult red along the side cushion. It failed to drop and the Scot made 66 from the ensuing chance, but missed a red when victory seemed to be his.
Williams had one last chance, and despite the remaining reds being awkward managed to take one by one with sufficiently high enough colours to steal a win of his own.
After losing position on the brown, he played a telling safety shot, with the brown in the middle of the baulk cushion and cue ball at the opposite end of the table.
Higgins, needing just the brown to leave Williams needing snookers, attempted the ‘long double’, a shot he would make maybe one in twenty.
In true Cinderella style, the brown never looked anywhere else other than the centre of the top corner pocket which was followed by superb long pots on the blue and pink to close out the match.
Williams said, “I am disappointed at losing, as it was mine to lse rather John’s to win in the end, but overall the way I have played all week, I have to be pleased with getting to the final”.
BBC’s John Parrott asked him would he tale a while to get over this result, to which the popular Welshman replied, “No. After three pints of Boddingtons I will have forgotten all about it”.
Higgins was emotional in victory, acknowledging his opponents efforts in the final and thanking all of his family for their support over the past few difficult months.
