John Higgins crashes out against Shaun Murphy in quarter-finals: Bank of Beijing China Open 2011
World number one John Higgins lost to Englishman Shaun Murphy in the quarter-final of the Bank of Beijing China Open 2011 at the Beijing University Students Gymnasium on Friday. The match was a real topsy-turvy affair. Murphy dominated the best-of-nine frame
match after the interval. He beat Higgins 5-2, firing some impressive breaks, which included a century.
Scotsman Higgins grabbed an early 1-0 lead after he clinched the first frame 2-63. A half-century break of 53 from Murphy then brought him level with the Scottish at 1-1. He grabbed the second frame 79-28 followed by the third with a frame score of 78-0.
Murphy pocketed a sensational break of 78 in the third frame to take a one frame lead at 2-1 in the match.
The 35-year-old Scot got himself back into the match in the fourth frame with a superb break of 61. He took the frame 19-87 to level the match at 2-2. Murphy stunned the world number one Higgins with his beautiful potting display. He potted an exceptional
century break of 108 and finished the frame with a single break at 108-1 to lead 3-2.
Murphy then completely outplayed the three-time world champion Higgins in the second session of the game. The 28-year-old Murphy won the sixth frame by 66-10 with an impressive half century break of 54. John Higgins, who turns 36 in May, was leading 3-17
in the seventh frame when the Englishman came to the table.
The frame turned out to be the last of the match, as Murphy smashed a rattling break of 81. He clinched the frame 84-17 and won the quarter-final 5-2. The frame scores of the match were 2-63, 79-28, 78-0, 19-87, 108-1, 66-10 and 84-17.
The Players Tour Championship (PTC) 2010-11 Grand Finals winner Murphy will meet compatriot Judd Trump in the semi-final on Saturday, 2nd April. Trump beat Englishman Peter Ebdon 5-1 in another quarter-final. He grabbed four consecutive frames,
hitting some extraordinary breaks of 139, 52, 60 and 61 in the first four frames respectively.
Ebdon won the fifth frame 1-117 after he pocketed two stunning breaks of 54 and 54. The match finished with a beautiful half century break of 50 from Trump as he clinched the sixth frame 76-5 to book a spot in the semi-final.
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