00:01Frame 5, 2 apiece, Higgins took the first 2, Zhao responding with frames 3 and 4, just the one half
00:10century so far, that was 62 from Zhao in the 3rd, but the break he put together, even though it
00:16wasn't numerically special in the 4th, was outstanding, because the balls were not straightforward, the black was out of play,
00:25but he got the job done.
00:28So another 4 to come in this session, the target this evening is 10, a possible 19 to play.
00:45It's been a strength of Higgins for most of this tournament, his long potting, he's been getting about 2 out
00:53of 3.
01:04Yes, and like you say, no breaks, but very entertaining frames, I thought, a real contrast in how it all
01:11unfolded.
01:12I suppose that the second frame, Zhao Zintong, could have won, the others were pretty one-sided frames, so that
01:20would be the one that perhaps got away for the world champion.
01:24Higgins, though, 25 minutes without a pot, but the mid-session interval might have just changed his perspective on that
01:31time away from the table.
01:38And you're watching the nice long red, and this long game has been good, I may have just missed one
01:42a moment ago.
01:44One.
01:46It's an important four frames for him, if he fell behind here, I said it earlier on really, but he
01:53won the first two, but if he ended up coming out of this session behind, I think it would be
01:57hard to see a way back for him.
02:00Although, I'll say what I already mentioned at the beginning, he wouldn't put anything beyond this man.
02:07He's got a severe will to win, he always has had.
02:20Now, he's on the red to the left of the black, which is six, opening things up around the black
02:26spot.
02:43Seven.
02:45Seven.
02:46Seven.
02:49Seven.
03:10Twelve.
03:28Thirteen.
03:30Thirteen.
03:35Thirteen.
03:55Now, my peace.
03:58Thirteen.
04:01Thirteen.
04:02Thirteen.
04:04Thirteen.
04:05Thirteen.
04:05Thirteen.
04:28Yes, I mean, John was very keen to take a look at where the pink went,
04:33but I don't think it's necessarily in this way where it will eventually go, especially
04:37now that it doesn't go a little bit further up, because it means that Reddy was just pointing
04:41his cue at, is possible, to the right corner.
04:5120.
05:25Well, it must be a touch and go, but I think he believes he's OK.
05:2827.
05:29Yeah, that was a good shot, because I think he can pop this and not disturb many Reds,
05:34because he wants to run through on the black here, so he wants to make sure he gets a clean
05:40run through for the black.
05:4328.
05:43I don't know if he meant it quite like that, actually, but he's on it.
06:06That'll be a big disappointment, though.
06:08That really will.
06:10He screwed it with a...
06:1135.
06:12Put a bit of right-hand side on the cue ball, and he's kind of checked off the cushion.
06:16It's the reverse side taking it down, and he might pop this red, but he'd be furious if
06:24he doesn't, because it was a pretty straightforward positional shot.
06:35Well done very well.
06:36What a shot that was.
06:3836.
06:38I think there was a bit of anger in it, from the shot before.
07:0438.
07:05Brilliant.
07:06Recovery from Higgins and the Reds now.
07:09Beautifully spread to retake the lead.
07:13Yeah, I mean, he spread the Reds open in a way that came about by accident, really.
07:19I mean, he would love to think that Reds were going to be open up like this, but not because
07:23of the shot he played to end up on the Red to screw out of the bunch.
07:27It's all worked out nicely.
07:28The pink's on, the Red next to it.
07:31Wonderful chance.
07:4346.
07:5647.
08:13He's made a couple of centuries this week, Higgins, including a total clearance in that
08:18three.
08:19Resounding 6-1 win over Neil Robertson in his first match.
08:4054.
08:41The highest break of the tournament, by the way, remains the 1-4-2 that Xiao Xin Tong made
08:45against Sean Murphy.
08:46We've had 20 centuries this week.
08:50I don't think the table has been playing particularly generously, though.
08:54The breaks have been hard-earned.
09:02I think that's right.
09:03I think conditions are good.
09:04I don't think the pockets are anything but as they should be.
09:0860.
09:2262.
09:23There's been three breaks out of 140 of which, well, 140 or above.
09:28Xin Tong's made two, including the highest, 1-4-2.
09:34Another one was a 1-4-1 from Mark Williams.
09:36Beautiful break.
09:38Anyway, this has been a pretty good one also, and it's one in the frame.
09:4169.
09:42It's a good long read he started with.
09:5070.
09:52And just the tonic, I think, after a spell before the mid-session where we hadn't
09:57putted the ball for about 25 minutes of playing time.
10:03Yes, the mid-session interval probably came at a good moment for Higgins because
10:07Xiao was building up ahead of steam.
10:10He put together two very good frames.
10:1477.
10:16Higgins has been queuing very well all week.
10:18He's made a few tactical tweaks.
10:21He said he's, as we know, never been afraid of changing his equipment.
10:26All sorts of different cues over the last two or three seasons.
10:29In a bid to give him that extra edge.
10:32And stay at the top of the game.
10:35Into his sixth decade.
10:36And it's working for him, clearly.
10:40Well, he's missed the red.
10:42It's academic in terms of the frame.
10:46No third century for John Higgins, but 83 will do to retake the lead at 3-2.
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