The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Higgins ends Rocket’s run to reach semi-finals
John Higgins powered into the semifinals of the Welsh Open last night with a 5-1 win over four-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan in Cardiff.
O’Sullivan, who had been in stunning form this week, took the first frame with a break of 64 to extend his run of frames won to 19, but the Scot responded with breaks of 113, 57, 60 and 101 to book a last-four meeting with Gary Wilson.
The Rocket had thrashed David Grace 4-0 in the last 32 on Thursday and returned to action a few hours later to beat Mike Dunn by the same score.
O’Sullivan, who received a walkover in the first round after Robin Hull withdrew, had previously beaten former world champion Graeme Dott 4-0 in round two and also won the last six frames in a row in a 10-3 victory over Ding Junhui in the final of the World Grand Prix on Sunday.
Higgins, though, himself a four-time winner of the event, took control to advance and has now lost just four frames in his five matches this week.
Wilson beat China’s Yu De Lu 5-2 to make the semis.
In the afternoon session, Barry Hawkins set up a meeting with Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham with a 5-1 victory over China’s Yan Bingtao.
The former World Championship finalist lost the opening frame, but made breaks of 141, 137 and 74 to march on.
Saengkham reached his first ranking semi-final with a 5-3 win over Ian Burns.