00:01He begins with only two really sizable breaks today, but he's winning the tight ones.
00:07He's only actually scored 28 points in the six frames that Zhao has won in this final.
00:21He needs three. The world champion needs four.
00:32Good red, but no colour to go with it.
00:37It's just not happening for Zhao at the moment in this match.
00:40No, it isn't, but he shouldn't have lost the last frame,
00:43and he shouldn't have lost that other frame when he made 44 and missed the black,
00:47so, you know, a strong argument that he should be quite a soft way in front, actually.
00:57But he isn't.
01:02May I?
01:02Yeah, thank you.
01:04No problem.
01:06Very nearly an in-off as it is.
01:09Awkward queuing for Higgins over the leather of the pocket.
01:13I mean, he's not a player who ever played the game
01:15who likes to be in the jaws of the pocket like this.
01:18It's a bit like going to the dentist.
01:19No one really likes it.
01:21No.
01:21No.
01:37Foul on this.
01:41Judging time.
01:43Four.
01:46Is it a free ball?
01:47It's hard to know, actually.
01:50I get the feeling.
01:54Well, I think those two reds probably can get to both sides of that red.
01:59Going to go back, isn't it?
02:01What's the problem on this spot?
02:08Long day, isn't it, for the players, but also for the referee, Marcel Eckhart.
02:12But he looks pretty nimble out there still, doesn't he?
02:15Yeah, they don't get the luxury like the players do of sitting down.
02:19It is a long day.
02:21Just have a look for me, please, John.
02:25Julian Bell is the marker for this final.
02:31I don't know if he puts that any closer.
02:33It's going to go into the pocket anyway, isn't it, that cue ball?
02:42Just a bit of it sticking out.
02:45This is not a pleasant shot to have to play, is it?
02:54Now, this is very interesting.
02:55I don't know whether he can see the reds' full ball or not, because this is where the angle comes
02:59into play.
03:00Judging time.
03:01Although it's a free ball this time.
03:05But could he actually see the reds' on the left, because the jaw of the pocket was in the way?
03:12Anyway, he's going to play this, so we'll never know the answer to that.
03:22Yeah, and it was the right call.
03:54Not for the first time today.
03:56The black is awkward early in a frame, covered by that red, certainly to the right corner pocket.
04:05Five.
04:07A chance for Zhao to get the disappointment of missing the frame ball in the previous frame out of his
04:12system early in this one.
04:14In his bid to tie this up again and make it a best-of-five frame match from here.
04:25Against Zhang Ander in the World Grand Prix, finally, he was quite brilliant.
04:28Made five centuries in the title match.
04:30This has been a different sort of match.
04:36But you can't always play your best.
04:39No, and he hasn't played his best here.
04:41And as you say, even that he split them up, the problem of that black and red, as you pointed
04:47out, is still there.
04:48He's not going to find it easy to score big here with pink on the side cushion and black obscured
04:54by the red.
04:55So how does he get out from here onto a colour?
04:58He's going to have to force this.
05:04Good shot.
05:05Done well to get even there.
05:27Sixteen.
05:41There have been a few too many of those sorts of errors from Zhao as this match has unfolded.
05:50Very surprising.
05:55Yeah.
05:55No one is more surprised watching him than me.
05:58I'm a big fan of his game.
05:59But there's a definite suspicion that the edge has gone off of his game for whatever reason.
06:05And John Higgins has had something to do with that because he's been at him all day, let's be honest.
06:10Without even playing at his best.
06:16One.
06:21That's okay.
06:23But the problem now is John's with the red and the black, so I value colours at a premium.
06:28One.
06:41Four.
06:41Four.
06:41Four.
06:41Four.
07:07Full?
07:11Full?
07:18Full?
07:31Full?
07:32Full?
07:44Full?
07:46Full?
07:50Full?
07:51Full?
08:08Full?
08:09Full?
08:10Full?
08:12Full?
08:17Full?
08:19Full?
08:20Full?
08:21I'm not surprised that the way that this session is going
08:29It would be more uncomfortable if John wins his frame from this visit
08:32At 8-6 that would be a bit of clear daylight
08:34He kind of felt that if it was going to happen it would be the other way around
08:45Didn't pop that red cleanly
08:46Which is why he's slightly short
08:48On his intended position on the blue
08:50Wanted to be the other side of it
09:0714
09:10It says a lot though for the match play now
09:12Sir Higgins that he's only made two big breaks today
09:1583 and 90 and yet he's won
09:187 of the 13 frames
09:19And is in with a chance of winning this one as well
09:28But
09:29He makes a mistake
09:30John Higgins 14
09:35Well you didn't expect him to miss that one
09:36I mean yes he was a bit of a stretch but not a huge stretch
09:44This could end up a great final in that
09:47Could go down to a last frame thriller
09:49But it hasn't really lived up to the expectations
09:53Not really
09:54I mean it's been enthralling in certain ways
09:58Because it's reminding us how difficult the game is
10:00And how much pressure these players feel
10:04And it might yet be very memorable
10:06But it's not been a classic
10:08Let's be honest
10:20Six
10:21Is he on it?
10:22He's sort of willing that cube would have come round
10:26I think he must just
10:28Yeah he's alright
10:28Just about
10:39Seven
10:42Always things that are awkward aren't they
10:44I mean he hits that red
10:45Now if the yellow was not
10:48In the gap between the green and brown
10:50It would be an easier up and down
10:51Now he's got to get past all three bold cards in a short area
10:55The cube was heading in that direction
10:57So
10:58He's got to sidestep those three
11:05Which is done expertly
11:07Great shot
11:12So he's just chiseling out a lead
11:14But not a huge one
11:2813
11:31That's no good
11:32Now
11:33It is a small lead
11:34But he's got to
11:36Sort of make something of it really
11:39Again it's
11:39This sort of
11:43Frame that he's been losing
11:46Playing the yellow
11:47Thought he might leave the yellow there
11:53And use that as a shield
11:54Play the green
11:55And get behind yellow and brown
11:56But anyway
11:59And then he gives a thin safety shot
12:19Well it's meant to be a thin safety shot
12:21He hit it about half ball
12:46One
13:08Might be alright there
13:09Touch and go for a moment
13:11Eight
13:20Nine
13:38Forty
13:40Short of pace
13:41It's okay
13:41Using the rest here
13:43But
13:44This is
13:45Kind of where the last frame went
13:47Against him
13:48Leaving a chance
13:49Against a clear
13:55Thanks
13:5515
13:59It was
14:00It was
14:00Higgins turn to miss
14:01Surprisingly
14:02Into the right corner
14:04After
14:04Zhao
14:05Had missed one himself
14:0839 the lead
14:0951 left
14:12Black to follow
14:17So
14:17This black
14:19A red
14:19And a further
14:20Color
14:21Should be sufficient
14:22To tie it up
14:22To tie it up
14:23Again
14:3122
14:4322
14:4423
14:50Miss
14:51Miss blue is
14:51Miss blue is frame ball
14:56Yeah so he
14:57He saw weakness in John actually
15:00Because John missed a bad one
15:0228
15:02So, I mean, a lot's been made of Sierra Jintong,
15:06the edge coming off his game.
15:07John's in a similar position.
15:10I think John would have felt that to be 7-0 with the world champion,
15:15he probably would have had to play better than he has.
15:21But we go again.
15:24These two, it's hard to split them, really.
15:26It was 2-0 Higgins a long time ago.
15:36Xiao Jing Tong, 34, Andy Frank.
15:39John Higgins concedes, so neither player can pull away from the other.
15:44At the moment, it feels like we're going to the wire here in Salford.
15:47We'll see.
15:48But right now, they both need three...
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