Kyren Wilson (right) defeated John Higgins on his way to winning the world title in 2024
John Higgins staged a remarkable comeback against world number one Judd Trump, recovering from 3-0 and 5-3 deficits to secure a 6-5 victory and a place in his first Masters final since 2021.
The Scottish player is now set to face Kyren Wilson in Sunday’s highly anticipated best-of-19 final, commencing at 13:00 GMT. Wilson secured his spot after a hard-fought 6-5 victory against Chinese debutant Wu Yize in another thrilling semi-final.
Higgins had previously suffered defeat in his last seven encounters with Trump and initially appeared to struggle, committing several errors in the opening three frames.
However, Trump, whose highest break at that point was a mere 60, failed to capitalize on two promising opportunities to win the fourth frame, providing Higgins with a lifeline back into the match.
“He should have perhaps been 4-0 ahead, and I might have made it too easy for him,” Higgins, who clinched the second of his two Masters titles two decades ago, told BBC Sport.
“The fourth frame was crucial because if he goes 4-0 up, it’s over, but at 3-1, I felt confident.”
“People may laugh, but I believe I’m a better player now than I’ve ever been. Playing against these great champions like Judd, I am incredibly proud, especially after losing the last few matches against him.”
With the momentum shifting in his favor, Higgins, 50, also claimed the fifth frame with an impressive 104 break.
The Englishman narrowly won the sixth and eighth frames with half-century breaks after his opponent missed reds, but Higgins responded with a 57 clearance in a similar fashion to take frame seven.
Trump, 36, who had generally dominated their meetings since his victory in the 2019 world final, seemed poised to secure victory in the ninth frame but, remarkably, missed a routine brown with only four balls remaining.
This lapse gave Higgins the impetus to construct pressure-breaks of 70 and 57, reeling off three tense frames in succession to complete a remarkable turnaround and become the oldest player to reach the final of a Triple Crown event.
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Wilson beats Yize in decider to reach Masters final
Both Wilson and Wu had already arrived at Alexandra Palace before the epic encounter between Higgins and Trump reached its conclusion.
While neither player showcased the exceptional form that had carried them past Neil Robertson and Xiao Guodong respectively in the quarter-finals, they still delivered a compelling contest filled with drama for the 2,000-strong crowd inside Alexandra Palace.
Wu, 22, reaffirmed his status as one of the sport’s brightest new talents, having secured his first ranking title at the International Championship in November.
He also demonstrated composure on one of snooker’s grandest stages, taking the opening frame with a run of 75 and constructing another half-century break to share the first four frames with the 2024 world champion.
When world number two Wilson appeared to be pulling ahead with runs of 76 and 74 to lead 4-2, Wu responded emphatically, notching up breaks of 74, 87, and 58 to move within a frame of his first Triple Crown final.
However, a missed routine red to the right corner proved costly in the 10th frame.
Wilson, who recently admitted to nearly having a “mental breakdown” during his last-32 defeat at the UK Championship, expressed his relief after holding his nerve to produce a sublime match-winning contribution of 116.
“Wu Yize will be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come. I wasn’t at my best at all. I don’t know where I found those final two frames,” Wilson said.
“It looked like it was going to be all over, and I would be out, but sometimes the snooker gods are on your side, and you have to make the most of it.”
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Higgins wins decider against Trump to reach Masters final
Higgins, a prominent member of snooker’s famed ‘Class of 92’ alongside Mark Williams and Ronnie O’Sullivan, has consistently downplayed his chances of securing a first Triple Crown title since 2011.
He has endured several heart-breaking defeats in major tournaments since winning his fourth World Championship title, including three consecutive Crucible final losses between 2017 and 2019.
He has also not tasted success at the Masters since 2006, losing his only subsequent final at this prestigious invitational tournament in 2021 to Yan Bingtao.
Having briefly fallen out of the top 16 ranking places amidst a four-year title drought, he has appeared revitalized since winning the World Open just over a year ago.
His fiercely competitive match play, which has never been in doubt, has now enabled him to overcome both the reigning world champion and Trump in successive matches, after facing difficult positions in both encounters.
“Even at 5-3 down, I didn’t give up. It was the same against Zhao Xintong,” Higgins added.
“Who knows, maybe my name is on the trophy? You just never know. I’ve probably been back home watching these finals for so many years.
“Deep down, you start to think that your time might have passed to be playing in these massive finals in front of big crowds. I am so proud.”
John Higgins currently ranks fifth on the all-time list of Triple Crown winners, with Ronnie O’Sullivan leading the way
Why snooker’s golden generation are still shining at 50
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