Vintage Higgins beats Selby in the final of the Tour Championship
An emotional John Higgins has produced a vintage display to defeat the four-time mate of world champion Mark Selby 10-8 in a convincing final of the tourist championship in Manchester.
The Scottish dominated the early stages of Sunday to drive 5-1, but appeared on the ropes when Selby pulled out seven consecutive frames to have an 8-5 advantage in a high quality meeting.
However, from there, Higgins who turns 50 next month, showed his combat qualities, creating pauses of 110, 67 and 84 while he reported in front of 9-8.
The victory was sealed with an authorized sublime 132 while Higgins collected the first prize of £ 150,000 and his second ranking title in as many months after a four -year drought.
“You’re playing a player’s monster,” said Higgins. “Be 5-1 up and be frozen to be 8-5, do not come back and five wines in a row against Mark Selby normally.
“I managed to do it, so it was incredible.
“It’s incredibly difficult. You’re just hitting a brick wall and I have done it so many times against him over the years.
“Play just incredible things. It was my best victory ever.”
It was an extraordinary performance by Higgins, which appeared contained in a trust in a mid -game oscillation when a rampant Selby scored 767 points to its 66 during an outbreak of seven frames.
In that phase it seemed that its only consolation would be to keep the High Break prize of £ 10,000 together with a secondary check of £ 60,000.
Instead, Higgins concluded the match with his eighth century to match the record for a Best-Of-19 competition.
In this way, he offered a threatening warning that simply cannot be taken for granted when the world championship begins on April 19th.
While no player has won the Tour championship and continued to triumph in the crucible in the same season, Higgins will stop if he can replicate this module.
