Higgins cruises through
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ByEurosport
Published 30/04/2007 at 14:06 GMT
John Higgins took the frame he required to close out a comfortable 13-4 victory over Irishman Fergal O'Brien. The win sets up a last-eight clash against either Ronnie O'Sullivan or Neil Robertson, who are locked at 8-8 going in to their final session.
SNOOKER higgins
Image credit: Imago
Higgins - 1998 World Champion - went in to Monday afternoon's session with a 12-4 lead after dominating the opening two sessions of their match.
And breaks of 56 and 45 were enough to see the Wizard of Wishaw through to the last eight, poor O'Brien managing just 21 points in the last five frames of the match.
"It was good to feel like that again - it's been a little while," said world number four Higgins. "I felt I wasn't going to miss. "I feel my game is there and that I can go on and do well. I'm just trying to keep myself focused and calm."
But there was a shock in Monday afternoon's second match as Ali Carter knocked out seven-time champion Stephen Hendry 13-6.
Like Higgins, Carter began the session with a 12-4 advantage, although Hendry ground out the first two frames to raise hopes of an unlikely comeback.
But Carter kept his composure, a break of 42 leaving Hendry needing snookers before the 27-year-old from Essex thumped home a long red to prompt a handshake from Hendry.
"I kept Stephen under pressure and it was a good performance and a good result for me," said Carter. "It's a different kind of pressure going to bed 12-4 up because you have one foot in the quarter-finals but then you think it's still possible for him to win.
"But I was confident with the way I was playing and thought that when I get a good chance I'll take it, and I did."
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