Higgins crushes Murphy to lift third world title
John Higgins won his third world title
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Monday, 04, May 2009 08:55
John Higgins has won his third world with a crushing 18-9 win over Shaun Murphy at the Crucible this evening.
Higgins started the day with an 11-5 lead and Murphy looked to be struggling under the pressure of knowing no player had ever come back from six frames down overnight to win the title, as he missed a simple yellow to gift Higgins the 17th frame.
The embattled former champion fought back bravely to take the next frame and had a chance to come back to within five frames. Both players had scored 49 points in the 19th frame before Higgins edged it by potting the blue and pink.
Murphy continued to be hit-and-miss and failed to pot a simple red and this allowed Higgins to take a 14-6 heading into the mid-session interval.
Breaks of 47 and 79 saw Murphy take the first two frames after the interval as he came back to 14-8 and the Englishman could have had a chance of a comeback had he managed to take the last two frames of the afternoon session.
But it was the Scot who crucially claimed the last two frames. He took the first with a break of 61 and then another mistake from Murphy allowed him to get back in the final frame.
Murphy led 59-52 in the frame, but missed the yellow and was eventually snookered behind the same ball by his opponent. Two fouls later, Higgins was in prime position and cleared-up to take a 16-8 lead.
Higgins only needed two frames to win the tournament heading into the final session and pride was all Murphy had left to play for.
It was Higgins who got in first in the first frame of the evening and was eyeing up a maximum break before breaking down on 48. Murphy then got his chance but missed a black off its spot and once again Higgins took full advantage to win the frame and go just one away from victory.
Murphy won the next frame with a break of 59, but it was just delaying the inevitable and Higgins lifted the trophy with a break of 73 to win the match 18-9.