World Open 2025 final recap: John Higgins ends ranking title drought with 10-6 win over Joe O'Connor
Updated 01/03/2025 at 16:04 GMT
John Higgins defeated Joe O'Connor 10-6 in the 2025 World Open final in Yushan, ending his run of five straight defeats in ranking tournament finals. The Wizard of Wishaw dominated the early session, taking a 6-2 lead into the evening and, after O'Connor reduced the deficit to three, he produced a century in the final frame to seal victory.
'Shot of the century' - Higgins pots two reds with one shot to light up final
Video credit: TNT Sports
HIGGINS ENDS TITLE DROUGHT IN STYLE
A century in the final frame, the only one of the match, secured John Higgins a 10-6 victory over Joe O'Connor and his first ranking title in four years.
Despite not at his break-building best, Higgins effectively won the match in the first session when he opened up a 6-1 lead, before O'Connor took the final frame of the afternoon to give himself slight hope.
The Leicester man had many first chances in the opening session but could not put big scores on the board and on most occasions The Wizard of Wishaw worked his way back in front and secured the frame.
The first four frames of the evening session in Yushan were shared before a 95 break put Higgins a frame away from victory.
O'Connor showed character to win the next two, the latter with a fantastic break of 67 to clear a tricky table, before Higgins took control once more in the last.
This ends a run of five ranking final defeats for Higgins, since his Players Championship victory over Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2021.
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‘The drought is over’ – Higgins seals World Open title with classy century
Video credit: TNT Sports
HIGGINS BEATS O'CONNOR 10-6!
The break ends at 100 but that is more than enough for Higgins who claims another ranking title when he must have wondered if he would have ever do so again.
HIGGINS 9-6 O'CONNOR (100*-0)
There it is. The first century of the match.
HIGGINS 9-6 O'CONNOR (84*-0)
Even O'Connor, who came back to the table needing five snookers earlier, will surely concede should Higgins miss a red now.
HIGGINS 9-6 O'CONNOR (61*-0)
Higgins eases a red into the bottom-right corner with the rest and cuts the black in well, but is a bit unlucky with a cannon ending up blocking him from an easy red. Higgins plays a fantastic cut into the middle pocket though - and then back down for the black. Surely that is game, shot and match.
HIGGINS 9-6 O'CONNOR (52*-0)
The half-century is in the bag, but going slowly into the reds, he is left only reds with tricky bridging into the middle or bottom-right pockets.
HIGGINS 9-6 O'CONNOR (30*-0)
Higgins can have little excuse if he fails to win the frame and match from this position, the balls could not be placed better.
HIGGINS 9-6 O'CONNOR (8*-0)
O'Connor looks to roll in a long red into the bottom right corner but misses it and Higgins subsequently pots into the bottom left pocket, via the near edge, and is on the black with reds spread quite nicely.
HIGGINS 9-6 O'CONNOR
Easily the break of the match there from O'Connor, a 67 to seal the frame and stay in the match.
HIGGINS 9-5 O'CONNOR (43-53*)
O'Connor left himself a double on the green and with the match potentially at stake if he missed it he puts it right in the middle of the pocket.
HIGGINS 9-5 O'CONNOR (43-44*)
He played a very good shot to get behind the final red but the pot of it was even better. Clean as a whistle to set himself up for the brown. The green on the side cushion is his now on his mind.
HIGGINS 9-5 O'CONNOR (43-35*)
He may prove me wrong here, a couple of fantastic shots from O'Connor have drawn him closer to Higgins. He needs a good positional shot off the next black to get near to the final red.
HIGGINS 9-5 O'CONNOR (43-9*)
O'Connor with a good pot screwing back to set himself up with the yellow, but this isn't a table which will be cleared up in one visit.
HIGGINS 9-5 O'CONNOR (43-8)
Higgins slowly creeping towards the finishing line now, but he didn't leave himself perfect on a red by the bottom cushion and now has to play safe.
HIGGINS 9-5 O'CONNOR (14-8)
An awful miscue from O'Connor and the cue ball bounced up in the air and he left two reds over the bottom right pocket.
HIGGINS 9-5 O'CONNOR (14-8)
Higgins plays almost a carbon copy of a snooker O'Connor got him inearlier when snookered by a green and a red over the bottom-right pocket. This time the green is so close to the cue ball a swerve isn't possible though and O'Connor has to roll into a couple of reds by the right cushion.
HIGGINS 9-5 O'CONNOR (14-8*)
That was unexpected! Incredibly Higgins screws back a yellow and goes straight into the right middle.
HIGGINS 9-5 O'CONNOR (14*-4)
Higgins narrowly fails to get out of a snooker but, after O'Connor has the ball replaced, he connects the second time and after his opponent missing a difficult chance, the Scot is now back at the table.
HIGGINS 9-5 O'CONNOR (13-0)
Higgins is laid a snooker but manages to swerve around the green and pot the ball over the pocket. Nothing is on to continue the break though, but his safety isn't great and O'Connor plays a fantastic snooker squeezing the ball behind the green and leave the white on the the baulk cushion.
HIGGINS 9-5 O'CONNOR (7-0)
Higgins first at the table but he misses an attempt at breaking the pack and then plays a pretty poor safety colliding with the pink and then the blue and is lucky not to leave anything on, bar a chance at being set a snooker.
HIGGINS 9-5 O'CONNOR
Still the steepest of uphill struggles, but O'Connor is not quitting.
HIGGINS 9-4 O'CONNOR (25-68*)
O'Connor leaves Higgins needing a snooker and then a double on the last red puts the frame beyond doubt.
HIGGINS 9-4 O'CONNOR (25-45)
Higgins made life a bit difficult for himself, and then missed a red into the right middle by an absolute mile. O'Connor slams a long red into the yellow pocket and now can put the frame to bed.
HIGGINS 9-4 O'CONNOR (2-45)
Higgins cuts a difficult red near the brown and brought the cue ball down to the black to give himself a good chance of usurping his opponent's lead, at the very least, now.
HIGGINS 9-4 O'CONNOR (1-45)
It's a credit to O'Connor that despite a difficult scoreline, and the likelihood of another heavy loss in a final, his demeanour has not altered - but he is a bit unfortunate breaking up the reds so, after just missing a double, it is end of break.
HIGGINS 9-4 O'CONNOR (1-1*)
Higgins misses the yellow with the rest and now O'Connor, after stretching to get in a comfortable position, is at the table.
HIGGINS 9-4 O'CONNOR (1*-0)
Higgins rockets a long red into the bottom right pocket. He wants to get the game won quickly.
HIGGINS 9-4 O'CONNOR
The frame won, Higgins left himself a tough pot to ensure the hundred, a red just off the bottom cushion which he tries to power in, but sees it bounce out. Still 94 is our highest break so far. And there might just be one frame to beat it.
HIGGINS 8-4 O'CONNOR (64*-0)
Higgins has upped his standard just as he was challenged by O'Connor and now is just a couple more reds from going a frame away from victory.
HIGGINS 8-4 O'CONNOR (32*-0)
Higgins screws back to open up the rest of the reds and leaves himself nicely on a baulk colour to get back down amongst them.
HIGGINS 8-4 O'CONNOR (8*-0)
Higgins first on the board with a narrow cut into the left middle and then a good black opens the reds and a chance to put a dent in this frame.
HIGGINS 8-4 O'CONNOR
Another crucial frame won by Higgins. He takes a healthy lead into the final interval and only needs a further two frames to take the title.
HIGGINS 7-4 O'CONNOR (70*-24)
Higgins was left a cue ball nestling in the bottom cushion but he still cuts a red into the green pocket and will now take a four-frame lead into the interval.
HIGGINS 7-4 O'CONNOR (69-24)
O'Connor gets full value for one red then lays a snooker, but Higgins gets out of it comfortably.
HIGGINS 7-4 O'CONNOR (69-16)
Higgins misses the penultimate red with the rest, leaving it in the jaws, and O'Connor will come back to the table needing three snookers.
HIGGINS 7-4 O'CONNOR (61*-16)
Higgins opts to break up the two reds beneath the pink and it works out very well. Just another red and colour to put the frame beyond O'Connor.
HIGGINS 7-4 O'CONNOR (34*-16)
There's just one tough red facing Higgins if he keeps control of the cue ball, lying on the right-hand side cushion near the green, but by the time he needs that one the frame should be secured.
HIGGINS 7-4 O'CONNOR (13*-16)
O'Connor opens the pack and through it does not work out perfectly, leaving him with a touching ball, he could go for a loose red using the spider, but always looked to be missing it to the near side. Higgins then drops what has been a trademark, in this match, shot for him: a long pot with red close to the cue ball, this time into the yellow pocket.
HIGGINS 7-4 O'CONNOR (12-1*)
Higgins looks to go into the pack off the black but misses the colour by a long way and O'Connor pots a good mid-range red to get himself going.
HIGGINS 7-4 O'CONNOR (3*-0)
Higgins opens the 12th frame with a good long pot, cutting into the bottom right pocket.
HIGGINS 7-4 O'CONNOR
No hundred, but a second-straight frame for O'Connor. The last before the interval is a big now.
HIGGINS 7-3 O'CONNOR (0-70*)
A lovely long red into the green pocket keeps the break going and we should get out first century now.
HIGGINS 7-3 O'CONNOR (0-69*)
Higgins now needing a snooker. O'Connor making a game of this.
HIGGINS 7-3 O'CONNOR (0-44*)
The one thing O'Connor must tell himself is he is the better break-builder at present and this week has won more frames in one visit. It will certainly buoy him if he can do so here.
HIGGINS 7-3 O'CONNOR (0-9*)
O'Connor again first at the table and a good second red sets him up for another big break.
HIGGINS 7-3 O'CONNOR
A break of 71, his best of the match so far, to seal the frame.
HIGGINS 7-2 O'CONNOR (38-55*)
He shows his class by getting right behind the last red and then dispatches it with the rest.
HIGGINS 7-2 O'CONNOR (38-52*)
O'Connor dispatches the easy reds and there is just one tricky one left on the left-hand side cushion. It doesn't look like he has position off a baulk colour to get close to it.
HIGGINS 7-2 O'CONNOR (38-16)
O'Connor brushes the near jaw but the red drops. The rest of the one-pointers are pretty nicely spread.
HIGGINS 7-2 O'CONNOR (38-16)
The break ends at 38 as Higgins didn't have luck breaking up the reds.
HIGGINS 7-2 O'CONNOR (24*-16)
He is not fluent Higgins, which may explain why he has not converted his big breaks today into centuries, but maybe his deliberation over every shot explains his keenness not to let this opportunity pass him by.
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‘What a shot from The Wizard’ – Higgins pots difficult red in style
Video credit: TNT Sports
HIGGINS 7-2 O'CONNOR (6*-16)
A horrible double kiss on an attempted long red and Higgins is now back at the table.
HIGGINS 7-2 O'CONNOR (0-16)
A strange scenario where O'Connor questions where the green was spotted but it looks like the referee was correct, with it unfortunately leaving the Leicester man snookered.
HIGGINS 7-2 O'CONNOR (0-8*)
O'Connor first on the board in the tenth frame. This happened a lot after the mid-session interval in the first session. It would be nice to see him win the table in a visit here.
HIGGINS 7-2 O'CONNOR
Higgins clears up down to the pink and is now just three frames away from taking the trophy.
HIGGINS 6-2 O'CONNOR (77*-36)
It was fun while it lasted but Higgins gets O'Connor in a snooker and is then left an easy pot on the last red.
HIGGINS 6-2 O'CONNOR (76-36)
Another snooker from O'Connor. This will be one of the remarkable single-frame comebacks if he is to manage it.
HIGGINS 6-2 O'CONNOR (76-32)
A second snooker is snared. Three more to go, though he will now hope for a free ball. If anything, O'Connor has got Higgins out of his rhythm.
HIGGINS 6-2 O'CONNOR (76-28)
One snooker down, four to get. Showing some steel here O'Connor.
HIGGINS 6-2 O'CONNOR (76-24)
A tidy 24 points accumulated and then he lays a pretty good snooker. He'll hope for a free ball.
HIGGINS 6-2 O'CONNOR (76-1*)
O'Connor plays on, maybe just for table time.
HIGGINS 6-2 O'CONNOR (69*-0)
Higgins is left on a pot which puts the frame beyond doubt.
HIGGINS 6-2 O'CONNOR (68-0)
Higgins leaves O'Connor needing a snooker and puts his opponent in a snooker - while leaving the green safe.
HIGGINS 6-2 O'CONNOR (60*-0)
Finally he gave himself a bit of work to do after potting the pink, but takes on the narrow cut expertly and gets on the black. One pot after this will secure the frame.
HIGGINS 6-2 O'CONNOR (52*-0)
Higgins effortlessly reaches a half-century. He might as well be moving the cue ball around with his hand.
HIGGINS 6-2 O'CONNOR (6*-0)
Higgins gets a little fortunate kiss off the brown to lay a difficult shot for Higgins and he is then presented with a pot which he puts away. One good positional shot off the blue and it looks an inviting table now.
HIGGINS 6-2 O'CONNOR (0-0)
Higgins gets us back underway.
WELCOME BACK...
The action is set to resume shortly - and Joe O'Connor will have to hit the ground running if he has a chance of beating John Higgins to ten frames.
THE MATCH WILL RESUME AT 11.30AM GMT
We will be back then so follow the action with us and watch live on discovery+.
HIGGINS 6-2 O'CONNOR
That's the end of frame and session. Higgins leaves the green in the bottom right jaws and immediately concedes. The session was cut short, maybe partly because of the fear the second session may only last a couple of frames. As it is, Higgins still needs four to win and O'Connor's chances have a pulse.
HIGGINS 6-1 O'CONNOR (19-46)
O'Connor gets out of that snooker, but Higgins lays another and the Leicester player is lucky not to go in-off when getting out of it.
HIGGINS 6-1 O'CONNOR (19-46)
O'Connor misses the chance to put the frame beyond doubt with the yellow and Higgins pots it before laying a very tough snooker.
HIGGINS 6-1 O'CONNOR (17-46)
O'Connor lays a snookr on Higgins who gets out of it, but leaves O'Connor a tempting cut into the right middle, which he sinks to leave his opponent needing a snooker.
HIGGINS 6-1 O'CONNOR (17-45)
O'Connor didn't get on great position on the pink to get on the last red and takes an age debating whether to pot it or leaves a colour safe to deny Higgins a route to victory in one visit. He opts for the latter. Moving blue and pink, though neither awfully placed
HIGGINS 6-1 O'CONNOR (17-37*)
A nice positional shot off the yellow has O'Connor in perfect position to pot the remaining reds which should see him take the last frame.
HIGGINS 6-1 O'CONNOR (17-12*)
A good long pot from O'Connor and he was on the pink next. Another chance for him to take a frame in this session.
HIGGINS 6-1 O'CONNOR (17-5)
No dice for Joe. The red wobbled in the jaws but stayed out. Higgins pots a red, but an unwanted heavy cannon, leaves him without a colour to pot.
HIGGINS 6-1 O'CONNOR (16-5)
Is that the bit of luck O'Connor needed? Higgins had an awkard positional shot and goes in-off into the left middle.
HIGGINS 6-1 O'CONNOR (4*-1)
O'Connor fails to land a snooker and Higgins pots a long red, plus brings the black into play too.
HIGGINS 6-1 O'CONNOR (0-1)
A poor safety from Higgins gifts O'Connor a chance to get on the board but the cue ball runs into the yellow ball so he has to play a snooker.
HIGGINS 6-1 O'CONNOR
Two frames to go in the session. Higgins could conceivably just need a solitary frame in the second session should he win the remaining ones now.
HIGGINS 5-1 O'CONNOR (80-29)
Higgins sinks the red and that, definitively, will be the end of frame.
HIGGINS 5-1 O'CONNOR (74-29)
There might not be a better dead-weight potter than O'Connor. He had a tricky black with the ball nestled under the right cushion, but he plays so many shots at that pace anyway it wasn't a chore to roll it into the middle of the pocket. Attempting a safety he leaves a long red on for Higgins though....
HIGGINS 5-1 O'CONNOR (74-21)
Spoke too soon. Higgins misses a straight-forward red with the rest and O'Connor just needs one snooker.
HIGGINS 5-1 O'CONNOR (74*-21)
Notch another frame on the ledger for Higgins. This time he could add the first century of the final.
HIGGINS 5-1 O'CONNOR (52*-21)
The easy reds have been taken care of, but the the way Higgins rolls the reds along the cushions - and with the generous pockets - there does not look much stopping him winning another frame shortly.
HIGGINS 5-1 O'CONNOR (20*-21)
O'Connor couldn't have been further away from hitting a red from a snooker and leaves a long red for Higgins. Despite some of his struggles when the cue ball is near to the object ball he rarely misses and, with the black over the pocket, he has another chance to build a big score.
HIGGINS 5-1 O'CONNOR (0-21)
O'Connor shakes his head as he fails to get on a red after crashing into the pack off the black. Another break ending prematurely.
HIGGINS 5-1 O'CONNOR (0-5*)
A deflty-weighted double setting himself perfectly on the black gets a big round of applause from the home crowd. They want to see him close this gap.
HIGGINS 5-1 O'CONNOR (0-5*)
That will build his confidence. A fantastic long red, with the cue ball beyond baulk he cut a red on the left hand side of the pack into the bottom right pocket. With the brown nestled into the middle pocket, he has another chance.
HIGGINS 5-1 O'CONNOR
After one loose safety, O'Connor leaves the yellow on and immediately concedes. This is looking a bit ugly now.
HIGGINS 4-1 O'CONNOR (68-30)
Higgins rolls in the last red along the bottom cushion to surely bring about a four-frame lead. O'Connor plays on, needing three snookers.
HIGGINS 4-1 O'CONNOR (60*-30)
Higgins rattles a pink into the middle pocket and the black will leave O'Connor needing a snooker with just a single red left.
HIGGINS 4-1 O'CONNOR (25*-30)
Higgins is closing in on O'Connor's score now, the black is still out of action but Higgins has five more easily pottable reds.
HIGGINS 4-1 O'CONNOR (1*-30)
A safety exchange ends with O'Connor leaving Higgins with a chance to pot his first ball of the frame and he does so, with another fine plant.
HIGGINS 4-1 O'CONNOR (0-30)
O'Connor opts not to go into the pack and tries to cannon a couple of reds to the right of the bunch, but he plays it with no pace and it is end of break.
HIGGINS 4-1 O'CONNOR (0-1*)
An early chance for O'Connor as Higgins misses a long pot and leaves an easy start to a break for his opponent.
HIGGINS 4-1 O'CONNOR
A huge blow for O'Connor. Can he recover from it?
HIGGINS 3-1 O'CONNOR (37*-60)
Higgins isn't perfect on the last red but he can pot it back down into the bottom right pocket and he now needs the colours, all in good position, to steal the frame.
HIGGINS 3-1 O'CONNOR (10*-60)
Higgins pots a long red into the green pocket and though his positional shot off the black over the pocket isn't great, he just can work the full pocket to nudge a slightly obscured straight red in, playing with left-hand side.
HIGGINS 3-1 O'CONNOR (1-60)
He was so close to the finishing line in this frame and typically, when he is in the groove, it was an unfussy, calm break, but he then overcuts the black - and it is criminal to do so with these buckets for corner pockets.
HIGGINS 3-1 O'CONNOR (1-38*)
A very composed break by O'Connor, racking up reds and blacks. No reason why he shouldn't win the frame at this visit.
HIGGINS 3-1 O'CONNOR (1-8*)
A miss from Higgins trying to slide a red into the bottom right pocket and now O'Connor has a chance with the balls nicely placed.
HIGGINS 3-1 O'CONNOR (1-0)
Back underway and Higgins is the first on the board but no colour is on so he is forced to play safe.
HIGGINS 3-1 O'CONNOR
O'Connor misses a pink into the middle pocket trying to set himself up on the final red, but is finally on the board before the break and that's the most important thing.
HIGGINS 3-0 O'CONNOR (14-77*)
A good long pot into the green pocket, leaving himself on the black, ensures O'Connor will be on the board going into the mid-session interval.
HIGGINS 3-0 O'CONNOR (14-64*)
O'Connor leaves Higgins with a difficult long pot but, as he has done on a number of occasions this week, he fails to convert and, after a delicate cut into the yellow pocket, O'Connor now has the chance to win the frame.
HIGGINS 3-0 O'CONNOR (14-63)
A similar story with Higgins needing to escape a snooker off two cushions, but this time the Scot misses twice, before brushing a red third time around.
HIGGINS 3-0 O'CONNOR (14-55)
Higgins misses first time round, but with his next shot comes off two cushions to hit a red and leave the cue ball safe.
HIGGINS 3-0 O'CONNOR (14-51)
Second time around O'Connor catches the red too thick and leaves a long red on but the ball bounces out and O'Connor cuts the red into the yellow pocket, but an awkward kiss means he has to play a snooker behind the green.
HIGGINS 3-0 O'CONNOR (14-50)
A poor error from O'Connor, attempting to brush the red on the bottom cushion and missing it. The ball bounces back up the table but does not quite leave a red on and Higgins makes him play it again.
HIGGINS 3-0 O'CONNOR (10-50)
O'Connor opts to cannon against the reds rather than play for the last open one above the pack and it goes wrong, leaving him with no other option but to play to baulk.
HIGGINS 3-0 O'CONNOR (10-19*)
Higgins lays a good snooker behind the brown and O'Connor is inches from leaving the cue ball against a red off the bottom cushion, allowing Higgins to roll it all the way into the green pocket. However, Higgins then, trying to add the black, brushes a red en route and gives O'Connor a good chance to build a score.
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Higgins dazzles crowd with excellent long pot on red in final
Video credit: TNT Sports
HIGGINS 3-0 O'CONNOR (5-11)
A fantastic long pot from O'Connor but gets an unlucky cannon with the yellow moving to obscure the brown's route to the pocket. He pots a yellow with a lot of side to get back down to the reds but is just too short of pace and the break can't get going.
HIGGINS 3-0 O'CONNOR (5-8)
O'Connor pots a red and difficult black but has no red on, so has to play safe to baulk.
HIGGINS 3-0 O'CONNOR (5-0)
Same story repeated to start the frame. O'Connor leaves a long red on, Higgins pots it, but just as it looked like he was on his way to taking the first four frames, he misses a straight-forward mid-range red into the bottom left pocket.
HIGGINS 3-0 O'CONNOR
Higgins has now secured a three-frame lead. The break ended on the last red as he, unusually for him, fails with a double attempt but a third straight frame with a fifty break and the last frame before the mid-session interval now looks massive.
HIGGINS 2-0 O'CONNOR (53*-0)
He needed a difficult pink into the middle to continue his break. The ball oddly veered to the right, initially looking like it was heading for the near jaw, all working nicely for Higgins at present.
HIGGINS 2-0 O'CONNOR (20*-0)
It wasn't an easy table to navigate and Higgins failed to get on the black and a double kiss off the ball playing safe left O'Connor with a chance of a difficult plant but he misses it by a distance. Higgins is back at the table. This game could get away from him.
HIGGINS 2-0 O'CONNOR (2*-0)
Like in the last frame O'Connor puts a red over the bottom left corner but this time the cue ball was by the yellow pocket and had many balls obscuring the route to it. Despite this, Higgins at real pace played a plant into the red and then, such was the speed and spin, another dropped into the same pocket.
HIGGINS 2-0 O'CONNOR (0-0)
It is a very ugly table now with reds strewn across, mostly the bottom left-hand side of the table. Not easy to find a safety out there.
HIGGINS 2-0 O'CONNOR (0-0)
TNT expert Alan McManus thinks Higgins was going for a five-ball plant there and who am I to doubt him but he ends up spreading all the reds and leaving the cue ball safely beyond the baulk colours.
HIGGINS 2-0 O'CONNOR
The break ends at 82 as Higgins fails to get position on the yellow after dropping the green with the rest. Too close to the yellow he just fails to cut it home. A fine start for the veteran though.
HIGGINS 1-0 O'CONNOR (71*-0)
The frame is now secured for Higgins. There is a potential century on the table for him...
HIGGINS 1-0 O'CONNOR (56*-0)
He made life a bit difficult for himself leaving the red on the left cushion, but Higgins expertly pots a red, nudging through another en route to the black. The frame will be put to bed very shortly.
HIGGINS 1-0 O'CONNOR (31*-0)
Almost impossibly, O'Connor again leaves a red over a bottom pocket, this time the left. Higgins pots it and gets on the black. This time it could be curtains.
HIGGINS 1-0 O'CONNOR (24-0)
Higgins loses position and has to play safe to balk, but gets another chance after a loose O'Connor safety leaves a red over the bottom-right corner. Rolling it in, Higgins snookers himself from the black and has to play safe. Another reprieve for O'Connor. He doesn't want to give the Scot a third chance.
HIGGINS 1-0 O'CONNOR (8*-0)
A poor break from O'Connor gives Higgins the opportunity of a long red and he makes no mistake, following up with the black.
HIGGINS 1-0 O'CONNOR
Higgins over cuts a very difficult long black leaving O'Connor with a simple pot but he misses, leaving the black close to the yellow pocket but awkwardly lodged against the cushion. Higgins rolls it in though. Phew...more of the same please!
HIGGINS 0-0 O'CONNOR (59-63)
What an epic starter! O'Connor plays a dead-weight double with the black on the bottom cushion and it just stays out the yellow pocket.
HIGGINS 0-0 O'CONNOR (59-63)
Higgins leaves a cut into the green pocket, you'd have expected O'Connor to drop but he misses it by some margin and is fortunate to see the black stay on the left cushion with the cue ball on the bottom.
HIGGINS 0-0 O'CONNOR (59-63)
Higgins plays a good safety and O'Connor leaves the pink over the green pocket, but Higgins only opts to stun it in, leaving us with the black-ball decider this frame deserves.
HIGGINS 0-0 O'CONNOR (53-63)
Higgins leaves a good cue ball but the pink was still cuttable into the bottom left, but O'Connor just misses it and fortunately leaves it safe.
HIGGINS 0-0 O'CONNOR (53-63)
He needed to go off bottom and right-side cushion when potting the blue to disturb the pink but he just misses moving it. Now he has to play safe. What an opening frame!
HIGGINS 0-0 O'CONNOR (53-49*)
A fantastic red sees O'Connor come off two cushions to get behind the last red and, using the rest again, he drops it in. He is then very close to knocking the pink off the right cushion when setting himself for the yellow.
HIGGINS 0-0 O'CONNOR (53-34*)
A fluent break from O'Connor, continuing the form he has shown all week, and he stuns the yellow to leave himself on one of the tricky reds on the left cushion. Playing with the rest and with a deft pace the red drops.
HIGGINS 0-0 O'CONNOR (53-8*)
O'Connor is too pacy with a safety which leaves the white beyond the baulk colours and Higgins pots a fine red, but he leaves the black in the jaws and, even with the generous Yushan pockets, it does not drop. O'Connor then pots his first ball of the match, a nice red into the left middle and he is on his way.
HIGGINS 0-0 O'CONNOR (52-0)
The break ends as he passes the half-century as he went into the remaining cluster of reds without pace, after potting the blue, and he has to play safe to baulk. An impressive start though.
HIGGINS 0-0 O'CONNOR (46*-0)
He doesn't get the kiss he wanted off a red, when potting a black, leaving the ball nestling under the side cushion, but the Scot pots another very good red to set himself on the black - albeit with the rest - so the break continues.
HIGGINS 0-0 O'CONNOR (14*-0)
Higgins follows up with fantastic position of the black and he now looks well capable of starting the frame with a big break.
HIGGINS 0-0 O'CONNOR (6*-0)
O'Connor misses a very difficult long red, with the cue ball tucked under the balk cushion, and it leaves Higgins with a cut into the yellow pocket, which he does, before splitting the reds off the blue.
READY TO GO...
Higgins and O'Connor have their picture taken next to the rather fetching colourful trophy and the veteran Scot will now break off to start the game.
HELLO AND WELCOME!
Thanks for joining our coverage of the World Open final as John Higgins and Joe O'Connor meet to see who takes the trophy in Yushan - Higgins looking for his 32nd ranking title, O'Connor his first.
Higgins and O'Connor hunting glory
Welcome to our coverage of the World Open final between John Higgins and Joe O'Connor, with the match slated for a 6am GMT start.
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