Ssb - higgins completes fairytale comeback

[MySockPuppet]

What a night, what a match and what a great player John Higgins has once again proved himself to be.

His recovery from 9-5 down to beat Mark Williams 10-9 in the final of the 12bet.com UK Championship completes his own miracle of Christmas.

The worst year of his life has ended with one of his greatest ever victories.

I thought early on today he looked nervous, almost as if he was trying too hard. His father, gravely ill with cancer, could not be with him in Telford and Higgins knew what eventual victory would mean to the man who first got him into snooker at the age of nine.

This looked unlikely when Williams held a four frame advantage, needing just one for victory, but Higgins dug deeper than perhaps anyone has ever dug in a major final and somehow got over the winning line.

You could see at the end what it meant to him and his family. An unbelievable return from the wilderness and proof that, despite the constant conjecture about events earlier this year, his status as one of the all time greats is not in doubt.

Credit as well to Williams, too, for the way he battled all through the tournament and in particular for his deadpan response to defeat. He was as gracious as Higgins was dignified.

These two can stand in the pantheon of legends alongside Hendry and Davis, O'Sullivan and Reardon, the other Higgins too.

The climax proved that big time snooker can still deliver great drama: without the gimmickry of shot clocks, music and all the other peripheral stuff.

It was two greats going toe-to-toe and it was brilliant viewing.


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[KashifK]

An unbeleivable game. It was great to see the so called 'older generation' battling it out for a major in front of millions of viewers again.

Mark was gracious in defeat but he must actually be devasted, he was at 9-7 just one ball away from the title. It was not meant to be his year but as John mentioned "fate" or "it has already been written", that come what may John would win and the balls would not fall in place for Mark this time.

[lennon11]

we best tell all the kids that the saying is wrong! "they" do prosper after all.

[gazza147]

Your Right here it Must be a Fairytale.....As he never Thought he would be Playing Snooker Back this Soon....Which I think he shouldn't have been able to.

I would say Mark Williams Throu it Away!!......Not John Higgins Won by any means.

Mark had so Many Chances which he didn't Take, Also that Black which he didn't even try and get on Yellow althou John Needed 1 Snooker Mark should have Made sure by getting on Yellow.

John did have alot of Run of the Balls also Especially when Williams went in Off and when John Played Double in Last Frame that would be 1 in 10 or more!

[gem]

Your Right here it Must be a Fairytale.....As he never Thought he would be Playing Snooker Back this Soon....Which I think he shouldn't have been able to.

I would say Mark Williams Throu it Away!!......Not John Higgins Won by any means.

Mark had so Many Chances which he didn't Take, Also that Black which he didn't even try and get on Yellow althou John Needed 1 Snooker Mark should have Made sure by getting on Yellow.

John did have alot of Run of the Balls also Especially when Williams went in Off and when John Played Double in Last Frame that would be 1 in 10 or more!

Mark can only blame himself. For such an attacking player I was amazed that he chose to bottle out playing a positional shot that would have won him the title.
Higgins wasn't lucky he just played fantastic all week and was by far the best player.

Saying all that, I still think he is very fortunate to be playing on the tour again.
I would have had no problem with him being banned for life.
He isn't, so others should just admire him for his exceptional play.
Just look at Higgins last night and compare it to when it doesn't go right for O'Sullivan (the Bingham match as an example). John is head and shoulders above Ronnie as the best player just now.

[magicman]

It's interesting how people can ignore what actually happened and replace it with fiction. Mark wasn't one ball away from the title - he potted frame and match and championship ball to win 10-7. John's quality play got him back into it. Ok, even at the time I thought Mark should have been playing for the yellow, just as he will think with perfect 20-20 hindsight. But considering he very nearly lost 10-7 how can John be described as 'head and shoulders' above everyone else?

It was a fabulous final, with twists and turns, great play and two of the very best of all time head to head. Now Mark is back playing well, near the top of the rankings, with John playing with a new found passion, thanks to his reprieve, whether deserved or not, with Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy playing quality stuff it will be interesting to see if Ronnie can get his mojo back?

[fateric]

There's an almighty stench about snooker at the moment. All this back-slapping is making me wretch.

He won a tournament, did he? I wouldn't know I didn't watch it:-)
Should've been banned for life.

Mat Wilson

[Nugget]

John did have alot of Run of the Balls also Especially when Williams went in Off and when John Played Double in Last Frame that would be 1 in 10 or more!

Williams went in-off failing to escape from a very good snooker that John put him in, and how can it be considered run of the balls to pot the ball you intend to, in the pocket you intend to and in the way you intend to? He picked out the shot knowing it was more or less a win-win. It goes in, or, at the pace he played it, it goes safe. He then put the frame beyond doubt with an excellent long blue.

There's an almighty stench about snooker at the moment. All this back-slapping is making me wretch.

He won a tournament, did he? I wouldn't know I didn't watch it:-)
Should've been banned for life.

Mat Wilson

You should have contacted the folks on the independent tribunal, since you obviously have information they were lacking. Why else would you feel so confident as to say that?

Wait...you watched that NoTW video, didn't you! You know I don't think the tribunal had access to that. That probably would have been enough to send Higgins down.

I still think there should be a seperate thread for this discussion, and not every thread concerning Higgins. He wasn't found guilty of fixing anything, he wasn't banned for life - get over it or have a whine in a dedicated whining thread. That's my view of it, anyway. Until then sarcastic responses will just have to do!

[Migtsf]

This was no fairy tale, never mind a miracle.

I agree it was a great night and a great match, but it wasn’t real. It was a fix.

No way would Mark Williams lose this game from 9-5 up. He must have been “instructed” to “shape-up”, and that was obvious in some if his shots and his shot selection. If it had been Burnett in his place, there would be major outrage.

All he was allowed to do was to get to 9 frames and that he did, proving that this was supposed to be his win, but the fairytale had to happen, to fabricate yet another great episode in this soap opera snooker has become.

It may be entertaining, but it’s certainly not real sport, not anymore.

[The Statman]

This was no fairy tale, never mind a miracle.

I agree it was a great night and a great match, but it wasn’t real. It was a fix.

No way would Mark Williams lose this game from 9-5 up. He must have been “instructed” to “shape-up”, and that was obvious in some if his shots and his shot selection. If it had been Burnett in his place, there would be major outrage.

All he was allowed to do was to get to 9 frames and that he did, proving that this was supposed to be his win, but the fairytale had to happen, to fabricate yet another great episode in this soap opera snooker has become.

It may be entertaining, but it’s certainly not real sport, not anymore.

And I guess, because it was prearranged, then Shaun Murphy must have been "instructed" to lose when he was 8-6 up in the semi-final because otherwise the plan couldn't have paid off.

If we're going to think like this we may as well re-examine every single close match and close frame that has ever been played.

I haven't got a 100% idea whether Higgins is a sinner who's lucky to still be in the game, or a saint who in truth didn't deserve even the punishment he got - I don't think any of us knows 100% but the truth is probably in between.

But turning every thread into a Higgins bashing thread is wearing a bit thin now that the subject has been done to death.

[hotpot]

And I guess, because it was prearranged, then Shaun Murphy must have been "instructed" to lose when he was 8-6 up in the semi-final because otherwise the plan couldn't have paid off.

If we're going to think like this we may as well re-examine every single close match and close frame that has ever been played.

I haven't got a 100% idea whether Higgins is a sinner who's lucky to still be in the game, or a saint who in truth didn't deserve even the punishment he got - I don't think any of us knows 100% but the truth is probably in between.

But turning every thread into a Higgins bashing thread is wearing a bit thin now that the subject has been done to death.

Beat me to it

[bonoman1970]

last nights win for Higgins was legitimate....no match fixing there
Mark Williams tried his guts out and should have won
but I agree with you Higgins shouldnt have been playing in that final, and somehow he is now betrayed as the good guy.
Great match though ..cheat or no cheat

[Looki]

This was no fairy tale, never mind a miracle.

I agree it was a great night and a great match, but it wasn’t real. It was a fix.

No way would Mark Williams lose this game from 9-5 up. He must have been “instructed” to “shape-up”, and that was obvious in some if his shots and his shot selection. If it had been Burnett in his place, there would be major outrage.

All he was allowed to do was to get to 9 frames and that he did, proving that this was supposed to be his win, but the fairytale had to happen, to fabricate yet another great episode in this soap opera snooker has become.

It may be entertaining, but it’s certainly not real sport, not anymore.

Yes, let's wait for NOTW to reveal the evidence.

[simon dent]

I do wonder if the negative posters on this thread can actually play this game and if so to what level. Can they tell us all to what level they have played at?

The idea that Mark Williams was instructed to lose the match is absolutely implausible.

These posts are not uploaded by players of any knowledge of the craft of snooker.

[magicman]

Hear hear to that. I'd go as far as to say that even normal life in general is beyond their capabilities if every incident in life is seen as conspiracy. Just what planet are some people on?