HIGGINS STUNS O’SULLIVAN WITH BRILLIANT WHITEWASH
JOHN HIGGINS destroyed Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-0 in their Scottish Open quarter-final showdown last night to have the crowd on their feet at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena. The 42-year-old produced three centuries in succession during a stunning whitewash to dismiss the world No 2, who only a few days ago claimed his sixth UK Championship title. The four-time world champion will now face Neil Robertson tonight in the last four after the Australian defeated Xiao Guodong of China 5-4. And Scot Higgins can still dream of going one better than last year in his home event, when he was beaten by Hong Kong’s Marco Fu in the final. Higgins said: ‘Ronnie had beaten me four times this season, you don’t want one guy doing that, so it was good to stop the rot. ‘I got 2-0 ahead and that settled me down. I was very nervous at the start, with the home crowd and a poor recent record against him. ‘He has missed a red in the middle and that let me in to make it 4-0, and that was so vital in the end. ‘It is brilliant to play in front of the home crowd, I’d love to win it here this year. ‘The last time I beat Ronnie 5-0 was back in 1994. ‘I have been playing well all week, maybe the odd match here and there — but I am very happy with my form.’ There was disappointment for fellow home hope Stephen Maguire, though, who saw his challenge to end a near five-year wait for a ranking title cut short by one of the world’s very best. The 36-year-old has rediscovered some of his strongest form in recent weeks, but his run was ended by world No 3 Judd Trump, who meets Cao Yupeng in the last four after the Chinese star defeated Ricky Walden 5-3. Maguire’s 5-2 quarter-final defeat was a result of some wretched luck against 28-year-old Trump, but bad misses also cost him dear. The Scot, who also just missed out on January’s elite 16-player Masters, said: ‘He is one lucky boy. It is hard to take. ‘I wish I had 25 per cent of that run of the ball. I lost all heart.’ Trump said: ‘It’s good to reach the semi-finals. I have found something this week. It is a good time to find some form.’