Not true really. He already won some tournament this season and I recall him winning up the north a year or two back
14-7 it is and itās almost impossible to see a way back for the great John Higgins now.
Dennis Taylor did come back from 8-0 down in 1985 but coming back from a heavy deficit late in the match is more difficult.
Stephen Hendry coming back from 14-8 down against Jimmy White in 1992 is the largest latter stage deficit I can remember being overcome.
John Higgins lost 14 of the last 19 frames in last years final to go from 10-4 up to an 18-15 defeat. Iām out for the day and havenāt seen any of this afternoons proceedings but it sounds like another final fade out, 7 frames lost on the bounce. Fitness, stamina and strength and conditioning clearly seems to be a problem.
He possibly should have a word with Mark Williams dietician. Mark looks really fit and trim and the diet of 2am kebabs and minstrels and crisps between frames is clearly working.
He seems to have shown some good form this season alright, but in real terms, bar a brief resurgence around 2010/11, heās been pretty much an irrelevance in terms of the major tournaments since 2003, which respresented serious underachievement for a player of his pedigree.
I think heās reached one major BBC tournament final in that time - the 2010 UK final.
I did mention early in the tournament that I thought he had a chance to reach the latter stages for the first time in a long time, but I doubt anybody thought this was coming.
A 147 here would be a nice way for John to finally make an impact in this session.
3 reds and 3 blacks potted so far.
Break finishes on 4 reds and 3 blacks.
Williams and Hawkins was the peoples final.
Sensational pot on the red by Williams with the cue ball tight on the cushion near the right middle pocket. He just stroked right through it.
Confidence flowing through his veins.
Break comes to an end shortly afterwards however.
John finally has a straightforward chance to clinch a frame now.
14-8 now.
John will take solace that the last time a left hander led a Scotsman 14-8 in a world final, the Scotsman won 18-14.
And the Scotsmanās surname began with a H, and the left handerās surname began with a W.
Like John Higgins in the last frame, Mark Williams already thinking of a 147 here.
40 up.
Eschews the chance. Only 145 still on.
Williams breaks down on 65 with 75 left, and slams the table with an open palm like a 1950s Christian Brother would have done to a petrified boy.
Great long pot by John. The balls are in the sort of position where he could, should clean up now.
14-9.
If John Higgins does come back, that frame will no doubt prove to have been the turning point.
Brilliant pressure clearance. That frame reminded me of the final frame of the 2006 Masters final at Wembley when he came from 60-0 down to beat Ronnie OāSullivan 62-60 with one of the all time great clearances.
Mark Williams let his guard down by slapping the table too and that sort of thing can psychologically affect both players in different ways.
Third frame in a row where a player has had an embryonic 147 chance. John 40-0 up.
John somehow keeps the show on the road!
What a double!
What a double.
Never been a 147 in the final.