Sunday 23 September 2012

Higgins Trumps at Shanghai Masters


John Higgins staged a remarkable comeback to beat Judd Trump 10-9 in a classic final of the Shanghai Masters.

Trump had stormed into a 5-0 lead with breaks of 112, 80, 74, 111 and 59 before Higgins, 37, hit back with a maximum 147 in the sixth frame.

But having trailed 7-2 at the interval, Higgins battled back to go 8-7 ahead, winning the 15th frame on the black.

Trump levelled at 8-8, Higgins went ahead at 9-8, Trump forced a decider but the Scot eventually prevailed.

It is the 25th ranking title of Higgins's distinguished career - and the first since he beat Trump in the final of the 2011 World Championship.

But the young Englishman will rue not being able to repeat his form from the first session, when those two century breaks had put him within three frames of victory.

Having been stung by Higgins's run of six successive frames, Trump hit back with a break of 105 to level the match at 8-8, then both players missed chances to seal the 17th frame before Higgins moved to within one frame of victory.

A cagey safety battle ensued in the 18th, but Trump prevailed to set up a decider.

Trump began the final frame with a break of 35, but lost position and Higgins was able to turn the tables in his favour, eventually taking the frame 66-36 to clinch the £75,000 winner's prize.


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