REVENGE SO SWEET FOR HIGGO
WHAT a difference one week makes as John Higgins stormed into the Scottish Open semi-finals with a 5-0 thrashing of Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Higgins finally got sweet revenge on his arch-rival at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena last night.
The Scot had lost four times to the Rocket this season – and Higgins had even said it was the beginning of the end after his UK Championship collapse to Mark King last week.
But after picking up his first whitewash over O’Sullivan in 23 years, the four-time world champion said: “It was good to stop the rot.
“I’d lost to him the last four times. But before that I had a decent record against him. You don’t want to keep losing to the same player so I’m over the moon.
“I was really nervous before the match because he’s been cueing really well recently.”
Higgins revealed at the start of this week O’Sullivan’s UK triumph had inspired him to pick up his cue again.
He’s now two wins from clinching the Stephen Hendry trophy and the £70,000 top prize.
Higgins brought the Rocket back down to Earth by ending his 11-match winning streak with three centuries and two further 50-plus breaks.
And Higgins – agonisingly denied home-turf glory in last year’s final by Marco Fu – is eyeing the title to repay his loyal fans.
He added: “I’ve had great support all week and I’d love to go and win it. Last year I got so close and I’d love to go one better.”
Next up for Higgins is Neil Robertson after the Aussie ace hit three centuries to edge Xiao Guodong 5-4.
Robertson said: “It’ll be a great atmosphere – playing John in his hometown the crowd will be against me. These are the matches you grow up dreaming about.
“I beat Ronnie in the Hong Kong Masters final in front of 3000 people and the atmosphere might not be as good as that but it’ll be special. There’s nothing to lose for me.”
Stephen Maguire slipped to a 5-2 reverse to Judd Trump but fumed he’d been unable to catch a lucky break – unlike the world No.3.
The Scot said: “He’s one lucky boy, he really is. I don’t think he really knows how lucky he is at this game.
“It’s really hard to take. I wish I had 25 per cent of that boy’s run of the ball. I lost all heart when I was 4-1 behind.”
But Trump, who will face either Ricky Walden or Cao Yupeng in the other semi, said: “I don’t agree with Stephen’s assessment, I don’t think I fluked any.
“When you play badly you’re disappointed and you see the game differently.”