Masters 2021 snooker: ‘Higgins was in a trance-like state’ – Neal Foulds acclaims John Higgins

ByMarcus Foley

Updated 15/01/2021 at 23:24 GMT

John Higgins entered a trance-like state such was his brilliance during in his Masters quarter-final against Ronnie O’Sullivan, that is according to Eurosport pundit Neal Foulds. The Wizard of Wishaw ran in breaks of 145 – a tournament high thus far – and 110 as he fought back from a frame down to take a two-frame advantage to the mid-session interval.

Neal Foulds said that John Higgins had entered a trance-like state such was his brilliance against Ronnie O’Sullivan in their Masters quarter-final.

O’Sullivan took the first frame but then was reduced to role of spectator for the remaining 47 minutes of the first session at a fan-less Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes as The Wizard of Wishaw reeled off the next three frames in an exhibition of snooker.

“He has gone into a zone – you know, that twilight zone, where you just don’t need to think," said Foulds.

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"Most players have had it and John Higgins has had it a lot.

[Higgins is playing so well] Ronnie has not potted a ball for 47-and-a-half minutes of playing time and there was not tip toeing around – it was all John Higgins in this sort of trance-like state that players sometimes get in.

‘He was in a trance-like state’ – Foulds waxes lyrical after Higgins brilliance

It was a sentiment that Jimmy White agreed with, adding that there was little O’Sullivan could do:

“O’Sullivan won’t be too concerned, as there is not much he can do about it.

“When your opponent is playing such great stuff, you just have to sit there and admire it. He is looking sensational.”

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O'Sullivan would fight back to level at 3-3 but Higgins sustained his brilliance to see out the win 6-3 to set up a semi-final against Dave Gilbert.

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