John Higgins re-crowned at Newport centre: Welsh Open 2011
Scotsman John Higgins defeated fellow-countryman Stephen Maguire 9-6 to retain his Welsh Open title in the all-Scottish best-of-17 final of Wyldecrest Park Welsh Open 2011 at Newport Centre. The Wizard of Wishaw has become the second player after Stephen
Hendry to win the title three times (2000, 2010 and 2011), and also the third player after Steve Davis and Ronnie O’Sullivan to win back to back Welsh Open titles. He dedicated his victory to his late father, John Sr.
Maguire, struggling for his first ranking title since 2008 China Open, had a tremendous start to the match. The 29-year-old Scotsman produced some high-class potting display in the first session to get a 3-5 lead before the World Number One hit back to clinch
the title at 9-6.
Higgins displayed his extraordinary match play after the first session when he was 3-5. The 35-year-old has been tussling since the last Welsh Open. He suffered a 6-month ban due to match-fixing charges and later on, during the German Masters, he had a tragic
incident with his father’s sudden death due to cancer. He was struggling with his performance from the beginning of the tournament but he managed to strike back and made his family proud again.
Maguire clinched the first two frames 0-83 and 32-71 getting a 0-2 early lead that definitely put pressure on the defending champion. Higgins bounced back hitting a century break of 120 in third frame to put himself into the competition, taking the score
to 1-2.
It was a topsy-turvy affair after that as both players tumbled over each other until the end of first session. Maguire managed to nudge the defending champion 3-5 down hitting 89, 58 and 76, while Higgins fired 72 and 70 before the mid-session. The Scot,
turning 30 next month, tried to make it 2-6 in the eighth frame but he made little chunks of mistakes.
The evening session after the interval saw the World Number One in total dominance. He swept consecutive four frames that shattered Maguire’s hopes to win his first ranking title since 2008. Higgins came back strong and showed what it meant to be a champion.
Maguire missed a difficult frame-ball pink when he was leading 42-52 in the ninth frame. Higgins took a winning-advantage of the lucky-for-him ricochet of the pink that left him to the crucial black which he potted easily to advance, 4-5.
Higgins levelled the score 5-5 suppressing Maguire who missed a red when he was at the brink of clinching the tenth frame. The table was let open for the champion who is renowned for his ability of taking frames from chancy positions. He made absolutely
no mistake and enchanted Maguire with a 63 spark in reply of his 48 to snatch the frame 64-48.
Higgins cleared four successive frames after the interval that shook Maguire. Breaks of 44 and 75 in eleventh and twelfth frames gave the Scottish a 7-5 lead in the match. Maguire roared back in the next frame and potted 6 reds and blacks to hit a 75 knock
to capitalise 7-6, but Higgins shut his doors of hope towards victory.
The defending champion fired 54 and 66 breaks in fourteenth frame and a stunning 72 knock with the help of some brilliant snookers that Maguire missed in the fifteenth to secure his second consecutive title victory. After winning the title, Higgins was emotional
and he paid tribute to his father and dedicated this victory to him.
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