John Higgins and Stephen Maguire reach quarterfinals of 2011 World Cup Snooker
One of the favourites to win the 2011 World Cup Snooker, Scotland’s team of world snooker champion John Higgins and Stephen Maguire, made it to the quarter-final stage of the competition on Thursday, July 14. The pair defeated Thailand-2 by 3-2 at the Bangkok
Convention Centre, and are leading Group D with 10 points after three matches.
Both Scotsmen have proved themselves up to the mark and have earned a place in quarter-finals with a positive attitude and strong team work. The Scotland team is unbeaten in the event, with three victories in all three matches they played.
Higgins and Maguire kicked off their 2011 World Cup Snooker campaign with their match against Poland. The pair had a few nervy moments in the match as Kacper Filipiak and Krzysztof Wróbel played tremendously, almost winning the game. However, in the end
it was a matter of experience prevailing over inexperience as Higgins and Maguire finally managed to beat them 3-2.
Scotland enjoyed an easy 4-1 victory in their second clash against Afghanistan’s Saleh Mohammad and Mohammad Rais Senzahi.
Higgins and Maguire then met Thailand’s Passakorn Suwannawat and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in their penultimate group match. The Thai pair played outstandingly to rattle their Scottish opponents, but Maguire’s brilliant performance towards the end sealed the fate
of the match. Even Higgins hailed Maguire after their victory, as he couldn’t win one of his individual frames.
While speaking to the local media after reaching the quarter-final stage, world number two Higgins said, “Stephen played great in the match and I was lucky to win my frame. Thepchaiya (Un-Nooh) missed a pink and if he hadn't done that I would've lost. To
get to 3-2 we've got out of jail again.”
Maguire added, “After tomorrow the tournament has finished for a lot of teams and only eight go through so in a way you're lucky to still be part of the tournament. We would've jumped to have been in this position and we've managed to scrape our way through.”
The stage is now set for Higgins and Maguire to live up to their ‘favourites’ reputation and deliver in the quarter-final stage of the competition.
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