I’VE FINALLY TRUMPED HIM
Higgins ends run of seven losses to Judd in Hong Kong
JOHN HIGGINS was buzzing after holding his nerve to end an unwanted losing streak at the Hong Kong Masters.
The four-time world champ had lost his previous seven matches against Judd Trump, including a heartbreaking third World Championship final in a row in 2019.
But the Scot edged a highquality quarter-final decidingframe shootout 5-4 to banish those painful memories with a first win over the Juddernaught in four years.
And relieved Higgins, who lost three of his five major final defeats in deciding frames last season, said: “I’m really pleased to win.
“A lot of people are maybe commenting that I can’t get over the line any more. Listen, I’m probably more down on myself than anyone so it’s good to know I can do it under the pressure.
“I’m delighted to win. It was a good match. I’m pleased to win because I’ve lost the last few times to Judd so it’s nice to know you can still beat someone as good as Judd.
“I don’t think too much about runs. It maybe affects Judd better because he’s maybe going into it thinking, ‘I can’t lose’.
“But I always believe in myself and that could be the difference.” Higgins locks horns with home hero Marco Fu in tomorrow’s semi-final.
The twice Crucible semifinalist, who has slid to 100th in the world rankings after laser-eye surgery and travel restrictions from Hong Kong, beat four-time world champ Mark Selby 5-2.
World No.4 Selby complained of being “bamboozled” by the table.
And Fu said: “It was a really special win for me. For most people this is an invitational event but for me it’s so much more than that.”
World champion Ronnie O’Sullivan begins his bid for the £100,000 top prize in Hong Kong against female star Ng On Yee today.
Mark Williams is due to land in Hong Kong just three hours before his match with Neil Robertson after a mad dash following Zhao Xintong’s Covid-19 withdrawal.