Higgins Alleges Spectator Distraction During Players Championship Victory
John Higgins has alleged that a spectator’s laughter disrupted him during a critical juncture of his Players Championship victory against Chris Wakelin. Their round of 16 match culminated in a deciding frame, where Wakelin initially established an advantage with a break of 51.
Wakelin’s Miss Opens Door for Higgins, Spectator Incident
Wakelin’s missed red ball opened the door for Higgins, who capitalized decisively to secure his quarter-final berth. However, the situation nearly deteriorated for the Scottish player at a pivotal moment in his comeback when he noticed a spectator at the Telford International Centre seemingly attempting to distract him.
Higgins’ Account of Spectator Behavior
According to Higgins, speaking to SportsBoom, “As I was approaching the green pocket, this individual began passing something to his companion and then appeared to laugh in my direction, as if he intended to put me off.”
Higgins Showcases Resilience to Advance
Despite the potential distraction, Higgins, aged 49, maintained composure to overcome Wakelin and advance in the Players Championship. “The Wizard of Wishaw” entered the tournament in impressive form, having recently secured his first ranking title in four years at the World Open.
This victory was preceded by a quarter-final appearance at the World Grand Prix, where he achieved notable wins against Ali Carter and Kyren Wilson.
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‘Significant Win’ Over Formidable Wakelin
Following his victory over Wakelin, Higgins expressed his satisfaction at defeating the player ranked 13th on the one-year list. “Chris is a formidable player,” acknowledged the four-time world champion. “He has demonstrated significant improvement over the past couple of years.”
“This is a significant win for me – a crucial one. Even in the final frame, you sense when momentum is on your side. I anticipated Chris missing that red. If I hadn’t won the recent event, or if my confidence was lower, I might not have cleared up from that position.”
Quarter-Final Clash with Xiao Guodong Awaits
Having narrowly defeated Wakelin, Higgins is now set to compete against Xiao Guodong in the quarter-finals. The seasoned player aims to capitalize on the momentum from his World Open victory.
He reflected, “Snooker is an unpredictable game, one I’ve been involved in for a long time. You must relish the periods of success because setbacks are far more frequent than triumphs. This current high is the best I’ve felt in years, undoubtedly since my last ranking event win.”