Higgins thrashes O’Sullivan

JOHN HIGGINS won his first ranking title for more than three years by trouncing world champion and oldest rival Ronnie O’Sullivan. The Wizard of Wishaw scooted to victory in the 71st meeting between the two with a 10-3 drubbing of the Rocket at the Players’ Championship in Milton Keynes. Four-time world champion Higgins, 45, lifted the trophy and pocketed the £125,000 first prize, having dropped only four frames during the whole event. And the triumph saw him become the oldest winner of a ranking tournament since the late Doug Mountjoy in 1989. World No 6 Higgins had been badly stung by defeat in January’s Masters final to Chinese youngster Yan Bingtao. So there could be no better medicine for that than such a dominant performance against O’Sullivan, a player against whom he has experienced some of his biggest highs and most damaging lows. It was the first time Higgins and six-time Crucible king O’Sullivan had clashed in the showpiece of a ranking event for 16 years. On that occasion, Higgins won 9-2 at the Grand Prix. ‘It is the best week I have ever had,’ said Higgins. ‘I have won world titles — but over a whole event and against this calibre of opponent, I have done a Ronnie by going through the field pretty easy. ‘You see the standard and you start to wonder if you ever will win again, so this is very pleasing. I had forgotten what a trophy looks like.’ O’Sullivan said: ‘John was unbelievable all week. ‘It was a masterclass from him and great to see such a great player winning titles again.’ Stephen Hendry, meanwhile, will emerge from nine years of retirement tomorrow at the Gibraltar Open — and fate has thrown him friend and practice-partner Matt Selt as a first challenge. Against anyone else, world No 25 Selt would be cheering Hendry on. But while the 35-year-old insists he will give everything for victory, such an outcome would ‘make me as popular as the man who shot Bambi’s mum’. Though their head-to-head record stands at 1-1, Selt can point to a single ranking title success, while 52-year-old Hendry has 36. Selt said: ‘It’s nice to be the centre of the snooker universe for a change! ‘It makes it easier for him that we are friends. He’ll feel more at ease and has a better chance of performing.’