Welsh Open 2024: In-form John Higgins remains on course for glory with quarter-final win over Mark Allen
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Updated 16/02/2024 at 18:30 GMT
John Higgins got the better of Mark Allen to seal his place in the semi-finals of the Welsh Open with a 5-2 victory. The in-form Higgins, who is searching for a record-extending sixth title in Llandudno, faced his sternest test yet but proved far too strong for the world No. 3. Higgins made four half-centuries and a total clearance of 131 as he put on a show for the fans in Wales.
'Clinical stuff' - Higgins makes 988th career century
Five-time winner John Higgins remains on track for more glory at the Welsh Open after he overcame Mark Allen 5-2 in the quarter-finals at Venue Cymru.
Higgins has been in supreme form at Llandudno and faced his toughest test yet in the form of the world No. 3 Allen. But with four half-centuries and a total clearance of 131, Higgins marched into his 84th ranking semi-final full of confidence.
Three years have gone by without a ranking title to his name, but Higgins has rarely looked better placed to end his drought.
In the opener, Allen left on a red and Higgins pounced with a 62 break. It wasn’t enough for him to get over the line, but his opponent needed three snookers, which he wasn’t be able to manage and Higgins closed out a cagey frame.
Higgins has shown his best form in Wales, and he didn’t need a second invitation when Allen slipped up on another red. The Scot threatened to run out of position but made a terrific recovery pot en route to a flawless total clearance of 131 for his 988th career century.
He continued his sizzling form at the start of frame three, knocking down a superb long red, but just when he looked on course to win a third consecutive frame, Higgins missed a black off the spot.
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‘Sublime cueing’ – In-form Higgins confidently dispatches long red
Twenty-five minutes had lapsed since Allen had last potted a ball, but he showed no signs of rustiness as he set about making up the deficit. And although he could only respond with 40, Higgins' attempt at another long shot saw the red wriggle against the jaw and Allen capitalised, albeit in unconvincing fashion, to make it 2-1.
Allen was still settling into the match, one felt, when he made a stunning long pot to kick off the fourth frame. However, he was struggling to build momentum and left Higgins with another opportunity with a missed red.
Sloppiness was creeping into Higgins' game though and he made another costly mistake as a stubborn red refused to drop in. Allen made him pay and the mid-session interval arrived with the score at 2-2.
Having been frustrated with throwing away his advantage, Higgins roared back in the fifth frame, rapidly making 76. As resilient as ever, Allen returned to the table needing three snookers and made it a credible battle until a fluke on the red saw Higgins finally get over the line.
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Higgins flukes final red to seal frame in Welsh Open
It hadn't been Allen's day and his cueing came into question when he got nowhere near the pocket with a long red, which left an inviting table for his opponent. Higgins was in no mood to pass up on such an opportunity and put the frame to bed with a break of 85.
Needing just one more frame for victory, Higgins was in a rush to complete the job and quickly made 45. Although not out of sight, Higgins had made a significant dent and when Allen returned to the table, there was little on.
However, with the end in sight, a nervy Higgins failed with a red down the side cushion. Allen failed to muster a response though and when a red bounced off the pocket, Higgins made sure of the frame and the match.
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McManus: I haven’t seen Higgins play this well in a long time
Slessor ends Dale dream
Elliot Slessor brought an end to Dominic Dale’s Welsh Open challenge with a 5-3 win.
Dale raised hope of eclipsing Ray Reardon as the oldest winner of a ranking event with a run to the quarter-finals, but the 52-year-old was well beaten by Slessor.
The opening frame went to Dale courtesy of a run of 51, but Slessor won three on the spin with breaks of 54, 128 and 53.
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‘Got a spring in his step’ - Slessor makes 69th career century against Dale at Welsh Open
A scoreboard malfunction interrupted play in the fifth and temporarily knocked Slessor off his stride as Dale cut the gap to one.
Slessor made 55 in the sixth frame and survived a tense safety battle to move within one frame of victory.
Slessor had a chance to close out the match in the seventh, but missed a simple ball and it allowed Dale in to get within one frame once again.
Both had chances in the eighth, and the telling one fell to Slessor after he had laid an excellent snooker.
With a 14-point lead, Slessor stepped in to pick off the points he needed to book his place in a ranking semi-final for the third time in his career.
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