Most emotional I’ve ever been – ‘Drained’ John Higgins clinches hard-fought win

By Mark Staniforth, PA

Tearful four-time world champion John Higgins overcame overwhelming emotions to beat Joe O’Connor 10-7 at the Crucible.

The 49-year-old was out of sorts in losing the morning session 5-4 but returned later in the day to turn things around and admitted afterwards he was battling strong feelings.

After edging 6-5 ahead, he finally produced a break of note with a century in the 12th frame.

Although his opponent, who had been on course for the 15th 147 in Crucible history until he missed a 13th red in the morning, fought back to 7-7, the veteran Scot pulled through to win the final three frames.

“That was the most emotional I have ever been today,” Higgins, who came into this year’s tournament in top form after clinching the Tour Championship title earlier this month, told BBC Sport before breaking down.

“I left my wife, and I was in tears. Obviously, my father-in-law wasn’t great (after a heart attack last week,) and I was having dinner with my boy last night and thinking about sitting here with my dad 25 years ago.

“I was drained today. I had a couple of hours sleep and I came out and felt and played a lot better. I am still so proud that I am still playing at a good level at this age.”

Mark Allen is determined to seek inspiration from recent Crucible champions as he looks to end a difficult season on a high by claiming a first world title.

The Antrim 39-year-old has slipped from first to eighth in the standings after failing to go beyond a ranking semi-final this season, but is brimming with confidence after completing a 10-6 win over Chinese qualifier Fan Zhengyi.

Both Kyren Wilson and Luca Brecel clinched their respective world titles having arrived in Sheffield on the back of below-par campaigns and, after reeling off four frames in a row to make victory over Fan a formality, Allen looks to be regaining his momentum at the right time.

Allen said: “It just shows that sometimes the form book goes out of the window here. Kyren had a shocker of a season compared to what I’ve had and he went on to win the world title.

“Obviously I’d rather have come into this tournament on the back of some good form, but if he can do it and Luca can do it the year before, why not me?”

Allen, who had lost the first three frames of the match on Sunday, book-ended his four-frame streak with breaks of 88 and 102 as he turned his slender 5-4 overnight advantage into a dominant position on the brink of the last 16.

Fan, who was also beaten by Allen on his only previous Crucible appearance in 2023, belatedly rallied with breaks of 86 and 74, but he was merely prolonging the inevitable and a break of 63 got Allen over the line.

Allen will next face Chris Wakelin, who edged former winner Neil Robertson in a late-night thriller on Sunday, and is the only seed left in the top quarter of the draw after earlier defeats for Wilson and last year’s finalist Jak Jones.

Crucible debutant Zak Surety finished the opening session of his first-round match against Ding Junhui with a century as he clawed back to within three frames of the former Crucible finalist.

Surety made a nightmare start as he lost the first four frames, but his belated rally – capped by a memorable break of 104 – will give him hope when he resumes on Tuesday trailing 6-3, while Si Jiahui will return with a similar advantage over David Gilbert.