Neal Foulds in stitches over John Higgins' chaotic foul in Scottish Open first round against Antoni Kowalski - 'Opposite of a Christmas cracker'
Updated 15/12/2025 at 16:52 GMT
John Higgins was greeted by a huge ovation as he opened his home event - the Scottish Open - against Antoni Kowalski in Edinburgh on Monday. It took the 50-year-old a little while to get going in the first-round clash, and fought through a second frame when little was going his way. That was summed up by a chaotic foul which left TNT Sports commentator Neal Foulds unable to contain his laughter.
'Opposite of a Christmas cracker' - Foulds chuckles as Higgins commits comical foul
Video credit: TNT Sports
An unfortunate and chaotic John Higgins foul left TNT Sports commentator Neal Foulds unable to contain his laughter on the opening day of the Scottish Open.
Higgins, a firm home favourite in Edinburgh, received a warm ovation as he took to the table for his first-round clash against Antoni Kowalski - but it took the 33-time ranking event winner a while to get going - losing the opening frame with a series of uncharacteristic errors.
The somewhat turgid opening - culminating in a couple of lengthy frames - continued into the second, when Higgins found himself guilty of an unfortunate and comical foul.
Having contended with the wrath of the snooker gods earlier in the frame, the Scotsman found himself having to bridge over two reds to keep his break alive at 14-1 up - opting to use the spider while mounting the table with his right leg up.
He took nearly 20 seconds to weigh it up, making sure his cue action was sound, as he aimed to pot the pink.
But his break came to a resounding halt when, upon unleashing, his cue toppled off the rest and smashed into the nearby reds in calamitous fashion. Higgins himself could not hide his smile at the outcome and, on TNT Sports commentary, Foulds burst into laughter.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2025/12/15/image-96629d1e-72d1-40c4-8462-440a40056790-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
Kowalski amuses crowd with frame concession - 'Shows us what he thought of that!'
Video credit: TNT Sports
"Well if anything summed up the start John Higgins has made, that was it," Dave Hendon said on commentary. "That was the opposite of a Christmas cracker, that shot."
Foulds, after composing himself, added: "The whole sequence really... [laughs more upon watching the replay of the foul].
"We shouldn't laugh, should we? This is one of the greatest players the world's ever seen, ladies and gentlemen."
- 'A moment I will cherish' - Burden's celebration of the year sees him join elite band of champions
- How a ‘sickening’ blunder ended Day’s Shoot Out hopes in bizarre fashion
It was a continuation of an utterly bizarre frame for four-time world champion Higgins, who thought he had a chance to make a break after sinking his opening red via a major fluke.
However, the 50-year-old had managed to snooker himself in the process. Despite nailing his escape, it meant he had surrendered his advantage against the 21-year-old Kowalski, who was showing great promise with a strong and confident potting game.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2025/12/15/image-b8cae734-f9e7-47cf-be13-4313cd96245e-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
Watch: Higgins escapes his own snooker after huge red fluke
Video credit: TNT Sports
Higgins eventually managed a break of 53 to seal the frame and pull level - and he built a lead after edging a tense third-frame battle, during which he took a big advantage after fluking the green with just the colours remaining.
The 'Wizard of Wishaw' dispatched the fourth frame - for a 3-1 lead - in far more assured style, firing home a break of 104 to go within touching-distance of victory.
While some frailties did re-appear, with Kowalski threatening a comeback by reducing the deficit, Higgins eventually sealed victory - much to the delight of the home crowd - to set up a second-round clash against Noppon Saengkham, who beat Liam Pullen in the first round on Monday.
Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season, including the Scottish Open, live on TNT Sports and discovery+
Related Topics
Thoughts?
Advertisement
Advertisement