Higgins makes history in snooker Grand Prix
John Higgins rewrote the record books en route to a 9-2 victory against Ronnie O’Sullivan at the Grand Prix in Preston tonight.
The world number six broke three long-standing world snooker records as he beat the mercurial O’Sullivan into submission at the Guild Hall.
The Wizard of Wishaw amassed a breathtaking 494 unanswered points in what became a potting masterclass.
The previous record for unanswered points in a ranking event was 485, set by Higgins himself in 2000 when he beat Nottingham’s Anthony Hamilton at the World Championship.
His impressive ball-potting also saw him set a new world record for the most ever unanswered points in any match, set by fellow Scot Stephen Hendry.
Hendry had 487 unanswered points against Jimmy White when he beat him 6-0 in the 1996 Masters at Wembley.
Higgins finished with a staggering 494 unanswered points to make history, but the magic did not stop there.
His four back-to-back centuries had never previously been achieved in a ranking event. Higgins soon put an end to that.
His 103 break before the evening session paved the way, followed by runs of 104, 138 and 128.
Higgins, last season’s British Open winner, led 5-2 after the afternoon interval, of which he won the last three frames.
The success continued following the resumption as the on-song Scot won the next three frames without the Rocket scoring a point.
“I won it for my two boys tonight,” said Higgins, referring to his children, Pierce and Oliver.
“I just felt I was as though I wasn’t going to miss. It just reminded me of how I used to play a few years ago.
“I just knew I was going to clean up at 4-2. At that point I just didn’t feel as though I was going to miss.”
Higgins’ success at the British Open in Brighton last year was his first ranking event title for four years.
But he attributes his success in Preston to “finding the zone again”.
“I feel 100 times better within myself than I did this time last year.
“I didn’t even know I’d done four centuries. It’s a great record.”
Higgins’ victory scooped him a winner’s cheque of £60,000 (€87,835), while beaten finalist, and last year’s winner O’Sullivan, took home £30,000 (€43,919) worth of prize money.
Despite defeat, O’Sullivan paid tribute to Higgins, whom he termed was “an artist”.
“That was fantastic snooker. It really was unbelievable. I’ve never seen anything like that before,” admitted O’Sullivan.
“He just destroyed me. You’ve just got to take your hat off to him. He was amazing.”
