Higgins to face Trump in Masters semi-finals

John Higgins produced a vintage fightback to defeat world champion Zhao Xintong on the black in a final-frame decider as he reached the semi-finals of the Masters.

It was a remarkable conclusion to a classic contest at Alexandra Palace, with two-time winner Higgins, who appeared to be down and out when he trailed 5-3, receiving a huge ovation after wrapping up a 6-5 triumph.

Scotland’s Higgins will now face world number one Judd Trump in the last four on Saturday (13:00 GMT) after Trump eked out a 6-2 win over Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen.

Neither Trump or Allen hit the heights in a gritty encounter that contained several protracted tactical exchanges.

However, the Englishman found his rhythm when it mattered to reel off four consecutive frames after the interval.

It was a far cry from the entertaining fare served up by Higgins and Zhao earlier on Thursday.

In a thrilling affair Higgins, 50, benefited from some good fortune as he became the oldest semi-finalist since Eddie Charlton, who was 53 in the 1983 edition.

“I was so lucky. In the second-to-last frame I tried a plant and butchered it and fluked a ball. It was fate maybe,” Higgins told BBC Sport.

“I stayed down a little bit extra on the final black to make sure I could not miss it.”

In a high-quality encounter China’s Zhao constructed breaks of 89 and 74, while Higgins responded with a superb 114 and run of 64 as the players traded the first six frames.

Zhao, who was aiming to complete snooker’s Triple Crown, capitalised and opened up a 5-3 lead when Higgins went in-off after potting a red to the middle in the seventh frame and then missed a crucial black in the eighth frame.

And Higgins, who is making a record-extending 32nd consecutive appearance at the Masters, rallied to get back to 5-4 and then force an 11th frame.

Currently ranked fifth in the world, Higgins remains one of snooker’s biggest draws and was willed on throughout as he reached the semi-finals for the first time since 2021.

The 33-time ranking event winner was given a rapturous reception when he emerged to the sound of The Stone Roses’ iconic track ‘I Am the Resurrection’ and left the arena to even bigger roars.

While he was not at his absolute best and toiled positionally at times in the closing frames, his ability to turn things around against Zhao was testimony to his granite match-play.

His more relaxed demeanour perhaps also helped, with his Wednesday spent far from a practice table as he instead elected to watch a musical with his wife Denise in London’s West End.

“I did not pick up my cue yesterday and we went for a nice dinner. Sometimes it is good to just get away and relax and see where it takes you,” Higgins added.

“I am delighted and I am so proud I am still doing it. So proud I am through to another semi-final here and I will enjoy it.”

Allen made breaks of 69 and 76 on his way to a 2-2 scoreline against Trump at the interval.

And at that stage the world number 10, who has a superior head-to-head record against Trump, had arguably been the better player.

But when he missed a mid-range red to the right corner that would have given him the fifth frame, the momentum shifted.

Trump, whose highest break had been 35 until that point, cleared the table with a half century to pinch the frame by a solitary point and sparked into life.

He took the next with a 70 and enjoyed a run of 68 as he reached an eighth Masters semi-final against an opponent he has twice faced in Crucible finals.

“I didn’t have my A-game today and I had to dig deep at 2-2 to make that big important clearance and the game kind of turned after that,” said Trump.