Northern Ireland open 2021 - John Higgins beats Luca Brecel and could face Mark Williams in next round
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ByEurosport
Updated 13/10/2021 at 17:07 GMT
John Higgins is through to the last 16 and could face Mark Williams, who plays Jak Jones in the round of 32 on Wednesday, when Ronnie O'Sullivan is also in action. Watch the 2021 Northern Ireland Open and the entire prestigious Home Nations snooker series live on Eurosport, eurosport.co.uk and the Eurosport app.
John Higgins, Northern Ireland Open 2021
Image credit: Eurosport
John Higgins became the first player to reach the last 16 of the Northern Ireland Open, where he could meet Mark Williams after beating Luca Brecel.
Williams is in action against Jak Jones on Wednesday afternoon, while Ronnie O'Sullivan takes on Alfie Burden at the same time – live on Eurosport.
Higgins recorded a 4-2 win over Brecel, sinking three centuries and taking his record to 4-1 against the world No 44 having last played at the 2020 Welsh Open.
Higgins, who has shed three-and-a-half stone during the close season and put the weight loss down to spin classes, opened with runs of 113 and 105 to take a two-frame advantage.
Brecel, winner of the 2020 Championship League, then looked like he had stemmed the tide with a 54 in frame three, but the Belgian left a red hanging over the top-left pocket as he cajoled the cue ball to baulk.
Higgins, cueing supremely, drilled the dead-straight red before superbly clearing to the black to steal the frame and put himself one away from the next round.
The four-time world champion was made to wait when Brecel knocked down 90 in the fourth frame to stay in contention, before winning the fifth frame as well.
However, the comeback stopped there, with Higgins advancing in style when recording a 121 break.
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