Masters snooker 2021 - John Higgins gives frame away with 'incredible' miss against Yan Bingtao

Updated 17/01/2021 at 17:53 GMT

John Higgins gifted his opponent Yan Bingtao a frame in dramatic fashion after an error early in the Masters final which left the Eurosport commentators in total disbelief. Higgins roared back after this costly error to lead Yan Bingtao 5-3 heading into the evening session at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes.

John Higgins reacts at the 2021 Masters

Image credit: Eurosport

John Higgins gave a frame away with an 'incredible' miss against Yan Bingtao early in the final of the Masters.

The Scot led by 12 with 66 on the board in the third frame with just the blue, pink and black remaining when he somehow missed a fairly straightforward cut on the blue to the middle pocket.

The 45-year-old could not believe what he had done as Yan was able to promptly clear up and assume an early lead in the match.

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Eurosport's commentary team summed up what everyone was thinking with their total disbelief at the miss in what could prove a crucial moment in the final.

"Goodness me!" exclaimed Philip Studd as Higgins put his head in his hands back in his chair.

"Incredible!" added Dominic Dale, before explaining that, "it was the back spin that was the problem for John, and he could well have given this frame away now."

Watch Higgins give frame away with 'incredible' miss

Indeed he did give it away as Yan downed the remaining three balls left on the table.

"What a reprieve for Yan Bingtao, who must have thought he had lost the frame," concluded Studd.

Higgins still managed to gather himself in impressive fashion to recover and take a 5-3 lead into the evening session of Sunday's showpiece.

Full Masters schedule

First round

Sunday January 10

Kyren Wilson 6-2 Gary Wilson (1pm)
Joe Perry 2-6 David Gilbert (7pm)

Monday January 11

Stuart Bingham 6-4 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (1pm)
Shaun Murphy 6-4 Mark Williams (7pm)

Tuesday January 12

Neil Robertson 5-6 Yan Bingtao (1pm)
Mark Selby 3-6 Stephen Maguire (7pm)

Wednesday January 13

Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-5 Ding Junhui (1pm)
John Higgins 6-5 Mark Allen (7pm)

Quarter-finals

Thursday January 14

David Gilbert 6-5 Kyren Wilson (1pm)
Stuart Bingham 6-3 Shaun Murphy (7pm)

Friday January 15

Stephen Maguire 5-6 Yan Bingtao (1pm)
John Higgins 6-3 Ronnie O'Sullivan (7pm)

Semi-finals

Saturday January 16

Stuart Bingham 5-6 Yan Bingtao (1pm)
David Gilbert 4-6 John Higgins (7pm)

Final

Sunday January 17

John Higgins 5-3 Yan Bingtao (1pm, 7pm)

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