John Higgins produced an outstanding efficiency to beat Kyren Wilson 4-2 within the final 16 of the World Grand Prix on Thursday in Hong Kong.
The Wizard of Wishaw compiled breaks of 143, 100, 92, and 74 as he orchestrated a powerful show to oust the world champion on the Kai Tak Area.
Buoyed by final week’s success on the World Open in Yushan that ended a four-year title drought in rating occasions, Higgins as soon as once more regarded just like the aggressive animal who captured 4 world crowns on the Crucible Theatre.
By reaching the final eight this week, Higgins has moved out in entrance because the participant with probably the most appearances within the quarter-finals of rating tournaments.
The 49 year-old edges in entrance of outdated rival Ronnie O’Sullivan, taking his profession tally to a becoming variety of 147.
“It’s file, isn’t it?” a delighted-looking John Higgins advised Rob Walker for the World Snooker Tour.
“It’s a pleasant quantity to get to, particularly within the context of that quantity in snooker. So yeah, it’s sensible.”
“It’s worthwhile to produce that to beat somebody like Kyren, as a result of he’s starting to have that little aura round him on the desk.
“Even after I was watching him, he jogs my memory a lot of a younger John Parrott – a greater model.
“I’m not being disrespectful to John Parrott, as a result of he was an unbelievable participant as nicely.
“However he simply hits the ball with such authority, and he actually believes he’s going to pot all the things on that desk, so it’s formidable to play.
“My recreation must be up on the prime to face an opportunity of beating somebody like that.
“I felt nice at present, I felt no strain in anyway. [Winning the World Open] was an enormous monkey off my again actually, as a result of I’d misplaced in some fairly heartbreaking finals.
“So to get that off my again, I’m coming now and simply considering that you just’ve proved to your self that you are able to do it at this age alongside the likes of Ronnie and Mark [Williams] – two guys I like a lot.
“It was an enormous win for me. You undergo some darkish instances with drives residence, flights residence. You’re speaking to your self, considering do you actually need to do that?
“Do you actually need to place your self by this? However as I’ve all the time mentioned, the aggressive nature inside your self that’s bought you to a sure stage on this sport in all probability wouldn’t help you again down and drift away.
“That’s what has stored me driving on to style that winner’s feeling once more.
“I don’t assume I’ve ever been in the suitable house to choose and select occasions like among the different boys.
“However I believe this now will give me the scope to possibly not play in as many tournaments. I do know I went on file earlier than and mentioned what else would I do?
“However with having that cushion that I’m going to have, you possibly can just about be assured [a top 16 spot], particularly subsequent 12 months. It’s good to have the ability to possibly choose and select.”
Within the World Grand Prix quarter-finals, Higgins awaits the winner of the last-16 tie between Shaun Murphy and Barry Hawkins.
Pre-tournament favorite Judd Trump can also be by to the final eight along with two different former world champions, Neil Robertson and Stuart Bingham.
Trump obtained a bye by to the subsequent spherical after the withdrawal of scheduled opponent Jack Lisowski resulting from private causes.
Robertson and Bingham, in the meantime, recorded respective triumphs over David Gilbert and Wu Yize.
The remaining second-round fixtures happen on Thursday, together with the battle of former World Grand Prix champions between Murphy and Hawkins.
Mark Selby faces Jimmy Robertson, Hossein Vafaei meets Xu Si, and Xiao Guodong entertains Lei Peifan within the different video games.
2025 World Grand Prix Draw
Spherical of 32
Judd Trump 4-2 Gary Wilson
Jack Lisowski 4-2 Zhang Anda
Hossein Vafaei 4-3 Si Jiahui
Xu Si 4-3 Ding Junhui
Stuart Bingham 4-2 Mark Williams
Wu Yize 4-0 Pang Junxu
Jimmy Robertson 4-2 Mark Allen
Mark Selby 4-3 Jackson Web page
Xiao Guodong 4-3 Jak Jones
Lei Peifan 4-2 Elliot Slessor
David Gilbert 4-3 Chris Wakelin
Neil Robertson 4-0 Yuan Sijun
Barry Hawkins 4-1 Tom Ford
Shaun Murphy 4-3 Ben Woollaston
John Higgins 4-3 Ali Carter
Kyren Wilson 4-3 Matthew Selt
Spherical of 16 (bo7)
Matches to be performed on Thursday, March sixth
Judd Trump w/o Jack Lisowski
Hossein Vafaei vs Xu Si
Stuart Bingham 4-2 Wu Yize
Jimmy Robertson vs Mark Selby
Xiao Guodong vs Lei Peifan
Neil Robertson 4-1 David Gilbert
Barry Hawkins vs Shaun Murphy
John Higgins 4-2 Kyren Wilson
Click on right here to see the most recent scores and outcomes
(snooker.org)
Featured photograph credit score: WST
