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WORLD Champion John Higgins booked his place in the semi finals of the UK Championship after thrashing Liang Wenbo 9-2.
Liang, who had sent both Ryan Day and Mark King packing in earlier rounds had no answer to the Scotsman who stormed through the first frame with a break of 90. Not the start that the former world under 21 champion needed. And he certainly didn't need to lose the second frame on the black as an effort of 56 was cancelled out by Higgins who with bits and pieces managed to steal the second frame on the black.
It was swiftly becoming a nightmare as Higgins started to pile the pressure on the Chinese star. Wenbo's drag safety shot resulted in the red trundling across the top cushion leaving Higgins to drop it in with the mearest of touch shots. 13 reds and 13 blacks disappeared as the fans started to nudge each other as the prospect of a 147 grew. Sadly a bit of bad running of the balls was to put paid to that dream as Higgins ran out of position on the black. Admitting defeat on the maximum he took the blue but missed the red for a break of 110.
Back to back centuries followed and Liang can only blame himself for a shocking miss on a simple red to the centre. John Higgins doesn't need Christmas presents like these. But he certainly didn't reject it - rather he piled on the agony by dropping the red in and then hammering in a break of 129 to lead 4-0.
The horror show continued for Liang when after amassing a 66 break in frame 5 he missed a frame ball black. Higgins though was by no means out of the frame and put together a run of 35 to snatch the frame by one point. A 5-0 lead to the Scot in what was becoming painful viewing for fans of Liang.
To Liang's relief he finally stopped the rot in frame 6 but two great chances went begging during which he could only put together 22 points. Mind you Higgins's reply on this occasion was doomed to failure as he ran out of position on 31 after potting the black. For once it was Higgins who lost out on a safety exchange as he left Liang with a straight red to the top corner pocket. It was mid length and this time the Chinese player made no mistake as he cleared up with a break of 39 to finally register a frame and with it avoid the dreaded whitewash.
Higgins though swiftly answered Liang's challenge by powering in abreak of 78 before Liang took the final frame of the session when he potted a red to centre and stroked in a break of 124 to trail 6-2 at the interval and leave himself with it all to do in the best of seventeen frame encounter.
Resuming Liang knew he needed to keep John in his chair and dominate the table. But while he could do it against Day and King he was finding Higgins to stiff a challenge. Higgins was after an early night and an inital break of 37 for Higgins was added to by bits and pieces. A half chance given to Liang was not taken advantage of and Wenbo conceded the frame with one red left on the table when Wenbo missed a long black to the "green" pocket.
With the stuffing well and truly knocked out of Liang, Higgins was clinical in the final two frames as he gave Liang a masterclass. In Frame 10 he had an early runs of 20 and 22 before Liang even got a look at a pot. And when he missed a black to the "green" pocket he must have known what was coming- and so it proved as Higgins dispatched a red to the corner and cleared up with 14 to put himself one frame short of victory.
And the end was only minutes away as the Scotsman drilled in a long red to the corner and kept the Chinese star in his seat as he signed off in style with a break of 115- faltering only on the blue to clinch victory 9-2 and set up a showdown with Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Suzy Jardine
Liang, who had sent both Ryan Day and Mark King packing in earlier rounds had no answer to the Scotsman who stormed through the first frame with a break of 90. Not the start that the former world under 21 champion needed. And he certainly didn't need to lose the second frame on the black as an effort of 56 was cancelled out by Higgins who with bits and pieces managed to steal the second frame on the black.
It was swiftly becoming a nightmare as Higgins started to pile the pressure on the Chinese star. Wenbo's drag safety shot resulted in the red trundling across the top cushion leaving Higgins to drop it in with the mearest of touch shots. 13 reds and 13 blacks disappeared as the fans started to nudge each other as the prospect of a 147 grew. Sadly a bit of bad running of the balls was to put paid to that dream as Higgins ran out of position on the black. Admitting defeat on the maximum he took the blue but missed the red for a break of 110.
Back to back centuries followed and Liang can only blame himself for a shocking miss on a simple red to the centre. John Higgins doesn't need Christmas presents like these. But he certainly didn't reject it - rather he piled on the agony by dropping the red in and then hammering in a break of 129 to lead 4-0.
The horror show continued for Liang when after amassing a 66 break in frame 5 he missed a frame ball black. Higgins though was by no means out of the frame and put together a run of 35 to snatch the frame by one point. A 5-0 lead to the Scot in what was becoming painful viewing for fans of Liang.
To Liang's relief he finally stopped the rot in frame 6 but two great chances went begging during which he could only put together 22 points. Mind you Higgins's reply on this occasion was doomed to failure as he ran out of position on 31 after potting the black. For once it was Higgins who lost out on a safety exchange as he left Liang with a straight red to the top corner pocket. It was mid length and this time the Chinese player made no mistake as he cleared up with a break of 39 to finally register a frame and with it avoid the dreaded whitewash.
Higgins though swiftly answered Liang's challenge by powering in abreak of 78 before Liang took the final frame of the session when he potted a red to centre and stroked in a break of 124 to trail 6-2 at the interval and leave himself with it all to do in the best of seventeen frame encounter.
Resuming Liang knew he needed to keep John in his chair and dominate the table. But while he could do it against Day and King he was finding Higgins to stiff a challenge. Higgins was after an early night and an inital break of 37 for Higgins was added to by bits and pieces. A half chance given to Liang was not taken advantage of and Wenbo conceded the frame with one red left on the table when Wenbo missed a long black to the "green" pocket.
With the stuffing well and truly knocked out of Liang, Higgins was clinical in the final two frames as he gave Liang a masterclass. In Frame 10 he had an early runs of 20 and 22 before Liang even got a look at a pot. And when he missed a black to the "green" pocket he must have known what was coming- and so it proved as Higgins dispatched a red to the corner and cleared up with 14 to put himself one frame short of victory.
And the end was only minutes away as the Scotsman drilled in a long red to the corner and kept the Chinese star in his seat as he signed off in style with a break of 115- faltering only on the blue to clinch victory 9-2 and set up a showdown with Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Suzy Jardine