International Championship LIVE - John Higgins dominates all-Scot semi-final 9-2 for a chance at second title

John Higgins stunned Stephen Maguire 9-2 to advance to the final of the International Championship, a title that could see him be the first to win a ranking tournament across five different decades.

Higgins threatened to whitewash Maguire early on as he went six frames in a row with two centuries, but Maguire fought back to win the last two frames of the first session with a ton of his own.

Maguire's play was error-ridden, and he struggled with long pots that Higgins capitalised on for his own breaks.

There was hope that Maguire could turn the tide after the break, but Higgins crushed any idea of forward momentum as he pounced on yet another missed long red by the Magician to start his three-frame run to victory.

Maguire was resigned to being a spectator by the end of the match as Higgins remained confident, and he now has a chance to claim the International Championship again, ten years after he won his first.

The 50-year-old has an exciting match ahead as he faces youngster Wu Yize tomorrow, who has shown some phenomenal form of his own to earn his place in the final.

It is all but over now as Higgins climbs and climbs. He lines up a shot down the left cushion again, but it is no good to halt him at 84.

Maguire comes up for the handshake after what has been an utterly dominant and near flawless performance today.

Higgins knows that he is playing well as he changes tack with confidence, he was intending to play off the top of the pack but switches to a rest shot on the left side of the reds. Others might have bailed out of the shot but it is dead centre.

Higgins opens again in this frame. This could be an extraordinarily short session as Maguire is once again confined to his chair.

It goes a little wrong as the pink prevents him a direct line to the reds, but he plays yet another stunning double to get himself out of trouble.

Maguire has yet to pot at all since they came back into the second session. But it is a lifeline for Maguire as he can tie this frame with a clearance, Higgins misses a red into the red-corner pocket!

It's good, then Maguire plays a nice shot on the black to move the cue ball up for a red close to the left cushion. But it goes a little far as it squeezes close to the cushion, and it impacts his rest shot as the red teeters between the jaws.

Higgins back on and he pots the easy shot left by Maguire. He misses his next one on the red, but Maguire doesn't try to salvage this frame.

The 2015 champ is on the brink of going to this year's final!

Tough shot on the baulk cushion for Maguire, and his shot gives Higgins a line between the yellow and brown. He makes it off the left jaw and the brown gets respot onto the black.

Maguire looks a little resigned in his chair.

Higgins' long red skims past the blue and lands into the right-corner pocket. He is playing so so well today.

Superb hit on the black to send the cue ball up the table and give him the perfect line to tap in a red on the edge of the middle pocket.

He finds himself tied up in the middle of the pack with no good option, and plays a safety back up to baulk.

A shame as the red on the cushion did halt Higgins' break, but he breezed through that frame in two visits under twenty minutes.

Maguire can't afford to make any more mistakes.

There's a tricky red resting on the bottom cushion, but Higgins won't need it or the three others remaining on the table as he snatches up this frame with ease.

Chance now for a third century as he will go five up by the end of this.

Back to safeties for both now. Maguire gets a little unlucky, and Higgins sinks a long red into the right-corner pocket. He'll be happy to be back on the break as he needs only three frames to advance to the final.

He's looking good on the table as well as he has been this afternoon, not often out of position but recovering well when he does.

Maguire goes on the offensive first, but it goes wide. He hasn't been able to work out his long shots today and he leaves it open for Higgins.

Higgins bobs up and down before putting the red into the middle pocket.

He eyes up another red, decides to use the extension but it's a poor miss from Higgins.

Higgins needs only three frames to knock out fellow Scotsman Maguire, but the latter had the momentum by winning the last two frames with a revived spirit. Maguire to break and set us off in this second session.

We are minutes from the start of the second session, which starts at 11:30 GMT. Watch and stream it live and on demand on TNT Sports 4 and discovery+.

Higgins improved to a 137 best break this season in a first session where a potential whitewash seemed on the cards for Maguire before his two last-minute frames.

We are set to be back underway in just half an hour, it is looking favorable for John Higgins as he leads 6-2.

Will it be the Wizard or the Magician who moves on?

Higgins made his mark early on as he snatched up six straight frames. The 2015 winner was in fine form with both his long game and his ability to make doubles, and he picked up two tons along the way to stun fellow Scotsman Maguire.

But Maguire would rally back in the late stages of this session to take the last two frames with admirable effort, answering back with a 114 century break in the seventh.

We will see what headspace he is in when he returns. Higgins still leads by four frames thanks to his remarkable run early in this semi-final.

See you back for the second half of this match at 11:30 GMT!

Maguire makes a perfect line off the pink to sink the last red. He pots a blue and he is off to the colours.

He leaves the black on the table and the two Glaswegians shake to head off for the break.

It is a remarkable effort from the Magician in the late stages of this first session to get himself back into this match, and we will see what headspace he is in when he returns.

Higgins still leads by four frames thanks to his remarkable run early in this semi-final.

See you back for the second half of this match at 11:30 GMT!

Higgins floats a black in from an awkward angle, but he ends up with a difficult shot on the red he wanted.

It could be make or break on this one, and Higgins misses the recovery with the red perched right at the mouth for Maguire!

A near disaster for Maguire who jumps back on the table with relief now to regain the lead in this frame.

Maguire catches a red just a little too thick and he sets Higgins up. Higgins pots it this time, what can he do now?

There are a couple of reds near the right side cushion that may eventually pose an issue for him, but for now he is making quick work of the rest.

The reds are scattered around the bottom right of the table in a way where they are covering each other. Maguire finds himself in the middle of them after he pots the blue, and it's not a good place to be.

He goes for a safety instead.