Tour Championship snooker 2022 LIVE – John Higgins completes stunning comeback to end Zhao Xintong hopes
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ByEurosport
Updated 28/03/2022 at 22:42 GMT
Welcome to Eurosport's live updates of the 2022 Tour Championship from Venue Cymru in Llandudno, Wales. Masters holder Neil Robertson is the defending champion and is the second seed for the event which is drawn based on one-year ranking points. Top seed Zhao Xintong lost 10-9 to John Higgins in the tournament opener having led 8-4 in the quarter-finals.
Milkins seals title in stunning win over Wilson
Match schedule
Quarter-finals (best of 19 frames)
- Monday, March 28
- Zhao Xintong [1] 9-10 John Higgins [8]
- Tuesday, March 29
- Neil Robertson [2] v Mark Allen [7]
- Wednesday, March 30
- Ronnie O'Sullivan [3] v Mark Williams [6]
- Thursday, March 31
- Judd Trump [4] v Luca Brecel [5]
Higgins 10-9 Zhao
Higgins will face the winner of Judd Trump or Luca Brecel in the second semi-final on Saturday. Thanks for joining us today. We will be back at 12:45pm on Tuesday for Neil Robertson against Mark Allen in the second quarter-final.
Higgins 9-9 Zhao (66-14)
Zhao tries to play a four-ball plant in all sorts of bother. And it is going to cost him the match. Higgins knocks in long red and pink to middle. Higgins is going to come through 10-9 from 8-4 behind. A quite terrific victory.
Higgins 9-9 Zhao (45-14)
Higgins chips the blue safe. Holds a lead of 30 points with all five reds tied up. Zhao tried to bring reds into play off black, but misses black at pace. Higgins looking to pick off these reds at will. In goes another red. Lead moves to 31 with four reds remaining. Brown has been chipped safe too.
Higgins 9-9 Zhao (43-14)
Decent lead, but red with rest doesn't drop. So plenty of life left in this frame.
Higgins 9-9 Zhao (36-5)
Higgins is playing a smart frame when the chips are down and coming up with the right shots. Has a fine chance to build a decent lead and frame manage this match home. Looking good for the Scot.
Higgins 9-9 Zhao (14-5)
Zhao misses a mid-range red to give Higgins a chance. Pops in red before picking out the black, but straight on a red. Rolls in a superb cut on a blue, but no red to follow again. So unfortunate to run out of position.
Higgins 9-9 Zhao (0-5)
10 minutes without a ball being potted before Zhao flukes a red. This match not slipping quietly or quickly into the night. Safety to see who gets first chance.
Higgins 9-9 Zhao (0-0)
Fine break-off shot by Zhao. Higgins faced with tricky response, but produces a waifer-thin contact on red to escape from trouble.
Higgins 9-8 Zhao (20-78)
Zhao suddenly clicks back into gear just in time. We are heading for a one-frame shoot-out to settle this match. Difficult to say how this will conclude. Zhao led 8-4 then trailed 9-8 but rediscovered his form to level at 9-9.
Higgins 9-8 Zhao (20-64)
Classy response by Zhao under the cosh. Break moves to 50 and looks like we will indeed require a 19th and final frame to finalise this match. 64 from Zhao and Higgins needs a snooker otherwise we are into the final frame. Some brilliant potting.
Higgins 9-8 Zhao (20-4)
Higgins with first chance in the frame he needs for victory. Rolls in 20 before missing cut on blue so no one-visit finish for the Scot. Can Zhao force the decider?
Higgins 8-8 Zhao (68-15)
Chance of a counter for Zhao. What has he got left in tank? Not much. Rest shot fails to slot red and Higgins is going to lead 9-8.
Higgins 8-8 Zhao (60-0)
Higgins misses the cannon, but he declares on 59. Strong position as a long red finds the mark.
Higgins 8-8 Zhao (44-0)
Zhao looks like a spent force. Can't buy a pot for love nor money and Higgins is first to the punch. Suddenly has found another gear when it matters. Chance to move 9-8 ahead.
Higgins 8-8 Zhao (0-0)
Winner of this match will meet Judd Trump or Luca Brecel in the semi-finals.
Higgins 7-8 Zhao (89-1)
A break of 83 from Higgins sees him level the match at 8-8. What an act of escapology this will be. Never looked likely all day, but now you would fancy him to get this match won. Pressure firmly on Zhao.
Higgins 7-8 Zhao (27-1)
Zhao growing increasingly despondent. Head down in chair and Higgins back among the balls in the frame he needs to level at 8-8. He has not played well yet must feel this match can be won from here.
Higgins 7-8 Zhao (0-1)
A wild slash at a shot by Zhao ends up with him fluking a red. He seems to be feeling it having been well in control. Higgins will sense this match is there to be won.
Higgins 7-8 Zhao (0-0)
A 56 run from Higgins in the 15th frame was key break. He has won three straight frames from 8-4 behind when all looked lost.
Higgins 6-8 Zhao (88-39)
Higgins can't escape from a Zhao snooker, but his opponent misses green to middle seconds later. Higgins takes out green, brown, blue, pink and black. The Scot is back to 8-7 behind. Somehow this match is right on the line for both men with Zhao under pressure all of his own making.
Higgins 6-8 Zhao (63-35)
Back in a familiar situation. Higgins leaves Zhao needing one snooker, but should have clinched this frame as a red along top cushion stays out. Higgins far from happy with his level of play, but is on cusp of trailing 8-7.
Higgins 6-8 Zhao (14-19)
Suddenly Zhao has gone off the boil as mid-range red stays up. This match is there to be won by either player if they can grasp the nettle. Higgins back at the table and back at the business end of the table. What can he produce here?
Higgins 6-8 Zhao (7-7)
Another fine long red by Higgins, but he drops in another error as pink to centre pocket stays out. Has been story of the match. Key time for Zhao to reassert himself.
Higgins 6-8 Zhao (1-0)
Not sure this looked likely at 8-4. Two frames won by Higgins weren't memorable, but they all count.
Higgins 5-8 Zhao (82-7)
Higgins rolls in a long red and follows it with black. He will trail 8-6. Zhao with plenty to think about. Huge frame coming up.
Higgins 5-8 Zhao (60-7)
Nothing spectacular, but Higgins inching his way towards another frame to trail 8-6. Which is quite remarkable given his level of play today. Misses a black, but Zhao needing one snooker with three reds left up.
Higgins 5-8 Zhao (31-7)
Higgins almost finding optimum levels, but not quite. Picks out a nice starter, but sees a plant on a red drop down a middle bag from a black. Zhao has also gone off the boil since the interval with his long game not quite there. Higgins with a long double on red. And he can lay a telling snooker too.
Higgins 4-8 Zhao (65-8)
Higgins has done enough to win another frame. He is back to 8-5 behind. Still work to be done by Zhao, who slipped in a few blunders of his own there.
Higgins 4-8 Zhao (57-8)
Another simple red rattles the jaws on 44. Whatever is wrong with Higgins, it isn't going to be solved in this match. Looks like he has tip issues which leads to self-harming problems, but Zhao throws in a bad miss so no damage done to the Scot. Second chance to get this frame won.
Higgins 4-8 Zhao (38-1)
A mistake by Zhao presents Higgins with an easy opener. Which he could certainly do with. Off goes the Scot then in pursuit of a sizable break to keep alive his hopes in this match.
Higgins 4-8 Zhao (0-0)
Unless there is a dramatic change of momentum, one suspects this match is approaching its final chapter.
Higgins 4-7 Zhao (20-92)
Has all gone wrong for Higgins since that missed pink in the 10th frame when he seemed certain to level at 5-5. Just not looking like himself tonight. Zhao needing two more frames to reach the last four when they resume after the mid-session interval.
Higgins 4-7 Zhao (20-71)
Break moves fluidly to 64 and the chance is there for a fourth century of the contest. Just looking for a blue to lead 8-4, but he misses it at pace. A break of 71, but this frame is not dead yet. Higgins needs blacks off remaining four reds. Difficult ask this. And proves too much. Misses red thick and that is another confidence draining effort.
Higgins 4-7 Zhao (12-33)
Higgins throwing in far too may unforced errors. Long red gives him access to table, but he again comes up short with another simple red staying up. Zhao with chance to forge further clear.
Higgins 4-6 Zhao (0-128)
Just making it look so, so easy. In goes the pink and black. That is a 128 total clearance for the Chinese player. Well on top at the moment. Higgins in deep trouble. One more frame before the mid-session interval.
Higgins 4-6 Zhao (0-64)
Time for Zhao to crack open the pack of reds as break hits the 50 mark. In goes the black and in goes a red with the rest. Could be a third century of the day coming up.
Higgins 4-6 Zhao (0-21)
Zhao thumping home some stunning shots here. These look dangerous times for Higgins in this match. Zhao isn't frightened of the winning post.
Higgins 4-5 Zhao (36-92)
Higgins looked certain to level at 5-5, but a dreadful miss on the pink is going to cost him the frame. Zhao again leads by two frames at 6-4.
Higgins 4-5 Zhao (36-53)
A knock of 29 from Higgins, but he throws in a shocking miss on a pink off the spot. That won't help his morale as Zhao emerges from his chair.
Higgins 4-5 Zhao (20-44)
A crisp long red from Higgins and this should provide plenty of scope for him to recover strongly in this frame. All reds in open. Every chance of levelling this match at 5-5.
Higgins 4-5 Zhao (3-44)
Looked like a one-visit frame for Zhao, but the break ends on 44 as red to centre pocket hits the near jaw. Surprising to see that chance pass him by.
Higgins 4-5 Zhao (0-13)
Higgins breaks off for the 10th frame of a possible 19. Zhao goes for a long red. Misses and flukes red off the black. He then follows it up with a blistering pink to the middle pocket. Spectacular shot.
Higgins 3-5 Zhao (66-56)
Higgins manages to double the blue up and down the length of the table studying a safety shot. What a time for that to come off. In goes the pink and that is frame to Higgins. He is back to 5-4 behind. Warming up nicely.
Higgins 3-5 Zhao (55-56)
Crunching pot on pink provides Zhao with hopes of a huge clearance, but he can't force home blue at pace and screw down the table. Pockets really tight and won't take those pots with too much ease. Safety battle on final three colours.
Higgins 3-5 Zhao (55-34)
A 38 knock from Higgins as a red eludes him, but nothing much for Zhao to go at until he rattles home a double on a red.
Higgins 3-5 Zhao (40-29)
Just the 29 from Zhao as an attempted double on a red fails to find the mark. Mistake by Zhao leaves Higgins with cut on red to a centre pocket after his attempt on a pot didn't drop. Scotsman cuts in blue before holing red. Chance then to get ahead in this frame.
Higgins 3-5 Zhao (17-6)
Higgins looking at his tip out there after breaking down on 17. Zhao slots a delightful long red seconds later before rolling in brown. Chance to get moving.
Higgins 3-5 Zhao (9-0)
Chance for Zhao to a centre pocket. Misses and leaves Higgins with an easy opener. Opportunity for the Scotsman to get his cue arm working here.
Higgins 3-5 Zhao (0-0)
Big crowd ready for the action at Venue Cymru. Boys ready to get on the baize.
Higgins 3-5 Zhao (0-0)
That was such a key frame for Higgins to win. He will resume at 7pm trailing by two frames when it looked like it could have been four. All to play for this evening with a possible 11 frames remaining tonight. This match could yet go close.
Higgins 2-5 Zhao (64-26)
Higgins battling so hard to stay in touch and has every chance here with Zhao for once not punishing him. This has been classic Higgins. Not playing well, but doing what is needed. He is going to close to 5-3 behind.
Higgins 2-5 Zhao (28-8)
So both men blighted by misses in this tense frame, but Higgins at the table with chance to put some clear daylight between himself and Xintong. He then misses a blue just when it looked like the break was going to progress. Zhao misses red, but Higgins does likewise. The Scot not with it at the moment.
Higgins 2-5 Zhao (6-1)
Both men enjoying chances early in the eighth frame, but Zhao enjoying a run of the ball at the key time. Nothing easy left on for Higgins as he attempts to reduce the gap to two frames.
Higgins 2-4 Zhao (19-108)
A clearance of 108 is as easy as shelling peas for Zhao. He leads 5-2 with one more frame remaining of the session. Looking highly relaxed in North Wales.
Higgins 2-4 Zhao (19-52)
Looks like Higgins is going pay for that miss on the pink. Zhao makes 59 before picking out red and blue for a 5-2 lead. Could be another century for the Chinese player.
Higgins 2-4 Zhao (19-7)
Higgins floats in a mid-range red with some style, but then sees a pink to a centre pocket hit the jaws. Bad, bad miss you would have to say. Higgins can't believe that.
Higgins 2-3 Zhao (54-65)
And in goes the blue, pink and black. Zhao needed a snooker, but ends up winning frame by 11 points for a 4-2 lead. Two more frames left of the afternoon session and Higgins would dearly love one of them to stay in touch before they play to a finish this evening.
Higgins 2-3 Zhao (54-43)
A taut safety battle ensues on the closing four colours. But all the colours are suddenly in the open. Zhao misses long brown by a fine margin. Snookers Higgins and he just fails to clip it first time. Higgins put back in for another go. He hits it, but has left a chance. In goes the brown.
Higgins 2-3 Zhao (54-39)
Higgins pops in the key red and clears to the green. Brown to middle bag doesn't drop. Zhao chasing one snooker with four colours remaining. And he gets it behind black and pink. Higgins just going around the back of the brown off two cushions. Disaster seconds later as the white drops into a pocket with Higgins trying to run safe off brown.
Higgins 2-3 Zhao (43-31)
Higgins seeing a black fail to drop provides Zhao with a path back to the table. Probably expected his opponent to make that. Wasn't an easy shot, but didn't drop. No winning counter attack and we are down to a safety joust on the final red.
Higgins 2-3 Zhao (36-5)
Higgins fails to drop a pink into a middle pocket, but Zhao then sees a red rattle in the jaws. Not punishing the Higgins error and the response is a blistering long red from the Wishaw man.
Higgins 2-3 Zhao (11-0)
Higgins picks out one from the Zhao copybook. Glorious long red. In goes the yellow and this is a chance for the Scotsman to respond.
Higgins 2-2 Zhao (0-125)
A clearance of 124 from Zhao. Mesmerising level of play. He leads 3-2 in the race to ten.
Higgins 2-2 Zhao (0-85)
Clips in a brown to centre pocket before developing a red from a side cushion. A fantastic pot and this is surely going to be the first ton of the week.
Higgins 2-2 Zhao (0-64)
Zhao making this look remarkably easy, but he runs out of position before slotting a fantastic long red and blue. Brilliant potting from the UK champion. Could be a century coming up.
Higgins 2-2 Zhao (0-21)
Tricky red down a side cushion eludes Higgins and Zhao is presented with a decent chance here to put some points on the board early in the fifth frame.
Higgins 1-2 Zhao (70-23)
Zhao flukes the final red. Could have done without that. He has seen enough. This match is all level at 2-2 at the mid-session interval. Finely poised.
Higgins 1-2 Zhao (70-23)
Tall order for Zhao to recover ground in this frame. One red left up and the lead is 48 points with 35 left.
Higgins 1-2 Zhao (70-0)
Higgins putting that third frame firmly to the back of his mind. Looks like we are heading for 2-2 at the mid-session interval. A superb break of 69 from the four-time world champion. Should be more than enough with 59 left up.
Higgins 1-2 Zhao (22-0)
A fabulous long red by Higgins. Rolled it in with some confidence to land on the black. Deserves to score a few points from such a terrific pot.
Higgins 1-1 Zhao (57-68)
A story of two missed blacks, but it is Higgins who makes the fatal mistake. Zhao mops up the colours to lead 2-1. He'll be feeling better about the third frame, Higgins not so much so.
Higgins 1-1 Zhao (57-41)
Looks for all the world like there is going to be a frame-winning counter clearance by the Scot, but he then misses black off the spot on 57. That is likely to cost him the frame with colours all on.
Higgins 1-1 Zhao (10-41)
Well, that is a surprise. Zhao had done the hard part, but a cut on black off the spot doesn't drop. Bad miss. Higgins handed an unforeseen reprieve.
Higgins 1-1 Zhao (0-40)
This match is fairly rolling along. Zhao eyes up a plant on reds after reaching 32. A quite stunning plant from the German Masters winner. Holds for the black and this is a glorious chance to get the frame won in one visit.
Higgins 0-1 Zhao (71-1)
Break ends on 63 as pink fails to drop. That did go, but odd sort of shot. Zhao can't pick out a red to a centre bag, but then Higgins does likewise. Still enough for Zhao, but he misses brown from a solitary long red. And this match is going to be 1-1. 53 in first frame from Zhao, 63 from Higgins in second frame. Both men on the board.
Higgins 0-1 Zhao (55-0)
Higgins with a lovely shot deploying the rest. Holds for black by rolling in red before picking out another fine cut on black with rest. This is classy shot-making. Promising chance to immediately strike back with a heavy break.
Higgins 0-1 Zhao (21-0)
Higgins first among the balls in the second frame. Chance to get his scoring boots on after being largely frozen out of the opening frame.
Higgins 0-0 Zhao (0-76)
A trademark long red from Zhao. Delightful stuff from the UK champion. And he looks in fine touch as the break moves effortlessly to 53. Red just eludes him to continue the knock, but Higgins has seen enough. It is a 1-0 lead for the young Chinese player.
Higgins 0-0 Zhao (0-23)
Cagey start from both men in this contest. Zhao with an early lead, but plenty of scope for Higgins to recover.
Higgins 0-0 Zhao (0-8)
We are off and running with this match. Zhao leaves a long red over a bag, but Higgins can't slot it with side on. Chance falls to the UK champion, who slots red and lands on pink with a timely nudge.
The Milkman delivers: A unique snooker tale of redemption
Some reading for you before this event with Robert 'The Milkman' Milkins lifting the Gibraltar Open on Saturday night, his first ranking title after 27 years as a professional.
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Milkins seals title in stunning win over Wilson
Welcome to the 2022 Tour Championship
Glorious sunshine in the Welsh coastal town of Llandudno to greet the top eight in the snooker world this season.
Top seed Zhao Xintong faces John Higgins in the opening match of the tournament. Of course, Zhao defeated Higgins on his way to lifting the UK Championship title in York before Christmas. "He's got all the talent in the world, the talent to match them all," said Higgins.
"It is great watching a young guy like that play snooker. He will go from strength to strength."
Match schedule
Quarter-finals (best of 19 frames)
Monday, March 28
- Zhao Xintong [1] v John Higgins [8]
Tuesday, March 29
- Neil Robertson [2] v Mark Allen [7]
Wednesday, March 30
- Ronnie O'Sullivan [3] v Mark Williams [6]
Thursday, March 31
- Judd Trump [4] v Luca Brecel [5]
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'Wow, that is unbelievable' - O'Sullivan says Trump's cue action has made him the player he is
Why unique pressures of snooker's longer formats make it ultimate challenge
Let’s go back 30 years to May 4th, 1992. It’s a sunny bank holiday Monday afternoon in Sheffield and Jimmy White is leading Stephen Hendry 12-6 in the World Championship final.
White is outplaying Hendry. He looks around a packed Crucible theatre and starts to think of who he should thank – and who he should leave out – in his victory speech later that night.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2021/05/04/3126004-64075808-2560-1440.jpg)
Watch the moment Selby clinches fourth world title at Crucible
Darkness falls in more ways than one. Six hours later, Hendry has won 18-14. White has lost the last 10 frames. To this day, he has never held snooker’s most prized trophy aloft.
The Whirlwind would surely have been world champion had the final been played over one day, as some current players now advocate. We’re told constantly people don’t want to watch a best of 35, that their attention spans can’t take it, that they have other things to do.
Read full column from Dave Hendon here.
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