The first semi-final of 12BET.com UK snooker championship was being played between the world number 2 John Higginson and Mark Allen.
At the international centre Telford, as anticipated by many critics and fans of the game, John Higgins prevailed. Beating a 9-5 match, Higgins has booked his spot in the final of the UK championship. This is the fifth time in his career when he has made
it to the finals.
The match was drawn 4-4 in the first session, the first frame of the second session however, proved fatal for Allen. As Allen missed a crucial black on a break of 45, Higgins grasped the opportunity and cleared the frame, punishing Allen.
“The first frame of the second session was really important, as I didn’t see the black, and before I realised I was 6-4 down, when I could have been 5-4 up,” said Allen. “I don’t see any one beating John,” he added.
The wizard of Wishaw has reached into the finals of the championship. He will play the final of the world’s second-highest ranked tournament, for the fifth time in his career. He has won the championship twice. Last year he lost the final of this championship
to Ding, this year he has to face either Mark Williams or Shaun Murphy. Both of the players enjoy good reputation and are fine cue-men.
Higgins played a fine innings last night- beautiful long-potting, some technical shots, safe shots along the cushions and snookers. Higgins threw all of his experience and talent on the 24-year-old Mark Allen, who for sure did not stand it, and got himself
registered into the list of John’s victims.
The Irish cue-man Allen has lost the ranking event’s semi-final, but somehow was happy with his performance. In a press conference after the match, Allen said, “It was an epic game, and I was feeling quite comfortable in the semi-final. He admitted that
he has made some crucial mistakes, but Higgins is just unstoppable and destructive,” he added.
Higgins has now won 17 matches out of 18 he has played since his return to the international competitions. He will regain the number 1 spot in the international rankings if he wins the championship.
Higgins said that it seemed like a “fairy-tale” to be in the finals of the world’s second most prestigious trophy with the prize money of £100,000.
About the potential finalists Mark Williams and Shaun Murphy, he said, “I played Mark in a final ten years ago, we are fat now, our skins have more lines and less hair, but we are still very much in the game.” He further added that, Shaun belongs to the
new breed and has a modern style to his game which will make it interesting to contest him.
Higgins, who now has reached into the final best-of-nineteen frames match of the UK championship, is sure that the second semi-final match between Mark Williams and Shaun Murphy will be a close one.
John Higgins has come all the way to the final match by beating Stephen Lee in the opening round, Graeme Dott in second, Stephen Maguire in quarter-final, and Mark Allen in the semi-final.
Responding to a question about his performance in the tournament so far, he said that he is satisfied about the overall performance and was pleased to be back in international rankings. He also expressed hope of regaining world number one spot after winning
this title.
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