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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Paul Thomson

John Higgins thrashes Ronnie O'Sullivan at Players Championship to end long wait for a trophy

John Higgins has won his first ranking title in three years after a sensational win over Ronnie O'Sullivan in the Players Championship final - pocketing a cool £125,000.

The Wizard of Wishaw, who last won a ranking event at the 2018 Welsh Open, produced some magical snooker as he eased past The Rocket with a 10-3 triumph.

It's been a sensational week for the four-time world champion, who whitewashed Jordan Brown and Mark Selby 6-0 and defeated Kyren Wilson 6-1 on his way to defeating O'Sullivan in Milton Keynes.

Higgins' dominant display is the biggest win over his arch rival in their 18 meetings in ranking finals.

He also won 28 frames from 32 played over the course of the week.

And a delighted Higgins told ITV: "It's the best week I've ever had.

"I've won world titles, but the whole week, the way I've felt...I've won quite convincingly.

"It's good to finally get my hands on a title again."

And on beating his old rival, he added: "We've grown up together. He's the best-ever.

"For me to beat the best-ever tonight is a feather in my cap."

(Daily Record)

The 45-year-old claimed the first few frames with ease and then racked up a break of 142 to go into the interval 4-0 to the good.

He was in sparkling form again in frame five with a break of 138 before O'Sullivan stopped the rot in the sixth frame, getting off the mark with a break of 82, but Higgins took a nervy seventh frame to bounce straight back.

O'Sullivan, though, produced the highest break of the tournament - a 144 - in the final frame of the session.

In the evening, Higgins started well with a half-century taking him to within three frames of glory.

John Higgins (Supplied)

O'Sullivan, the reigning world champion, wasn't going to go down without a fight and a break of 110 in frame nine clawed it back to 7-3.

But breaks of 70 and 77 in the following two frames took Higgins towards the finish line.

In frame 13, Higgins wrapped up the victory in style with another century to complete a stunning few days.

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