British Open 2024: John Higgins storms into final with 6-0 triumph against Oliver Lines at The Centaur
Published 28/09/2024 at 16:30 GMT+1
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John Higgins is the first player through to the 2024 British Open final after an emphatic 6-0 victory against Oliver Lines. The 'Wizard of Wishaw' may not have been at his best in the early stages of the clash, but he was still too much for Lines to handle at The Centaur. The Scot was superb after the interval, producing a break of 67 to seal the final frame.
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John Higgins booked his place in the final of the British Open with a 6-0 triumph over Oliver Lines.
Higgins fell out of the world's top 16 after 29 years in the elite bracket on Monday, but has bounced back in superb style and is one win away from a fifth British Open crown after proving much too good for Lines in Cheltenham.
Both players had chances to win a closely fought opener, which was decided by a period of safety play.
Higgins came out on top, leaving Lines needing two snookers to rescue the frame with the score at 63-37.
However, it was not to be and the world No. 99 conceded after 33 minutes of action at The Centaur.
The 'Wizard of Wishaw' followed that up with a mixed start to the second, making 38 before handing his opponent a chance to claw his way back into the frame.
The frame was decided by a run of safety shots, and Higgins showed his class to make it 2-0.
Higgins put together a run of 57 and looked well on his way to making it 3-0, but the Scot gifted Lines a lifeline after clipping a red with his cue while taking a shot.
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Lines could not capitalise and Higgins made it 69-6 to wrap up another frame.
The fourth could have gone either way, but Higgins was able to hold his nerve and take a 50-28 lead before a period of safety play took some of the momentum out of the frame.
Lines once again failed to take advantage of his visits to the table, and Higgins headed into the interval 4-0 ahead.
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Higgins needed two frames to seal the victory when the players returned from the break, and he wasted no time putting Lines to the sword.
It was 5-0 after Higgins produced a superb break of 64.
The Scot was beginning to come into his own, potting a beautiful long-range red at the start of the sixth frame.
Higgins put together a break of 67 in the sixth, forcing Lines to concede the frame and the match.
"That is what I felt coming into the game, I felt that could possibly happen with it being his first semi-final," said Higgins. "Even though I did not play great I tried to keep the pressure on him, I tried to keep it as difficult as possible.
"It has not felt like it [like he has only dropped six frames all week], it has felt more workmanlike than that."
Higgins feels Lines will benefit from his run to the semi-finals, as he added: "That will make him stronger, the next time he will know how to handle it [being in a semi-final against a top player]."
Mark Selby and Mark Allen will meet later on Saturday for the right to play Higgins in Sunday's final.
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