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| October 18, 2005 | Tuesday | Ramzan 13, 1426 |
Snooker: Higgins too hot for England’s O’Sullivan
PRESTON (England), Oct 17: Scotland’s John Higgins beat world number one Ronnie O’Sullivan 9-2 in the final of the British Grand Prix on Sunday leaving the Englishman to complain he felt like an idiot.
Higgins rewrote the record books with his win as he clinched his second career Grand Prix title.
He made four consecutive centuries from frames seven to ten, the first time any player has achieved the feat in competitive play.
Higgins also broke the all-time record for unanswered points.
He scored 494 points without reply, bettering Stephen Hendry’s record of 487 set at the 1996 Masters against Jimmy White.
O’Sullivan, who said he was “bored with snooker” after seeing off Barry Hawkins in Saturday’s semifinals, was in touch at 2-2 in the first session but was then blown off course.
Higgins said his display was a career high.
“That’s a great reward, I don’t think I’ve ever played better. I won it for my two boys tonight,” said Higgins, referring to his children, Pierce and Oliver.
“I just felt I was as though I wasn’t going to miss. It just reminded me of how I used to play a few years ago.
“I just knew I was going to clean up at 4-2. At that point I just didn’t feel as though I was going to miss.”
Higgins’ success at the British Open in Brighton last year was his first ranking event title for four years.
But he attributes his success in Preston to “finding the zone again”.
“I feel 100 times better within myself than I did this time last year. I didn’t even know I’d done four centuries. It’s a great record.”—AFP
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