Match Report via
www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk 'The best snooker news website'
---------------
THE FINAL:
Ronnie O'Sullivan 9-10 John Higgins 60-48, 139(139)-0, 138(138)-0, 0-73(73), 0-80(80), 20-48(40), 27-66, 0-71, 91(91)-44(44), 100(56)-30, 0-81(61), 6-86(68), 72(48)-46(46), 100(100)-5, 1-71(62), 62-53, 65(58)-5, 1-83(31,40), 60(60)-64(64)
Well what a final we could have in store today. O'Sullivan produced an imperious performance last year, reducing John Higgins virtually to the role of appreciative spectator. But Higgins turned the tables in style at the Grand Prix with an unprecedented burst of scoring against O'Sullivan.
There's a wonderful atmosphere as the match gets underway, the last ever match that will be played at this famous venue before it is redeveloped. And it's first blood to O'Sullivan as he fires in the first red of the match. O'Sullivan's positional has gone astray so only 23 at his first visit and his safety wasn't the best either. A stunning red from Higgins and the following snooker has yielded him a nice opening. But a red has rattled so it'll be a bit of safety now. A couple of errors from both players and it's still very close. Only one red left and O'Sullivan had an 8 point lead. O'Sullivan has potted pink and black after a very close frame.
A much quicker second as O'Sullivan whistles through the balls. A great 139 total clearance and that set the new high break target for the £10,000 prize. He's off again in the third. A fabulous pot and position after a great safety and he's got the balls scattered already. And another one visit win and back to back centuries. It's fabulous snooker.
A rare miss by Ronnie so a chance for Higgins and he needs this frame, but he's cold at the moment, so it's not going to be easy for him. This is a superb effort by Higgins, snooker of the highest quality and he's won the frame as they go off for a break. John Higgins is right amongst the balls on the resumption and the fabulous standard continues and it's another frame winner. The break ends at 80 and that was ten reds and blacks.
It's closer in the sixth, but Higgins is at the table with the chance to level the match. A forty break leaves O'Sullivan needing a snooker. Higgins can make it four on the bounce now. He's won a wonderful safety battle and just needs one more red and colour. It's looking likely now that Higgins will lead 5-3 at the break. When he was 3-0 behind that score line looked nearly impossible. He's 46 ahead but he's lost good position, so only a safety and plenty to play for. Higgins has slotted a great red and he's set now to clinch a 5-3 lead. A fabulous afternoon's snooker and more promised when the match resumes at 8pm.
The gladiators are back and Higgins raced into a 44 point lead before leaving O'Sullivan a chance. Now he looks set to win the frame in a single visit. And of course he has, what a great start to the final session. We're all square again and now the match is set for a thrilling conclusion.
The momentum is with O'Sullivan at the moment, but he knows, after this afternoon just what Higgins is capable of, given a chance. We've had a re-rack in the eleventh frame so it's back to opening skirmishes. Higgins is going to regain the lead again. It's taken a couple of visits but he's dominated the frame. Ronnie went for a rash shot and has been punished by John Higgins who's opened a 2-0 gap again at the final interval.
Here we go on the final run to the line and O'Sullivan is straight into a break. He's missed a red on 48 and left Higgins an easy starter. He's missed on 46 so it's all to play for on the last red. Ronnie's got it and pulled a frame back.
A couple of pots have gone astray in frame fourteen, still nothing potted and no chance here for either player. The safety exchange is spreading the reds far and wide. O'Sullivan has rifled in a long red and has the chance to make serious inroads into this frame as he looks to level the match again. And in no time at all he's cleared up with another great century.
But he's sitting down again in the next as an error has given Higgins a chance. He's 54 ahead with 67 left, just a couple of balls away from clinching the frame. Terrible luck for O'Sullivan in the next as he splits the reds off the blue but knocks a red in. That's the second frame on the trot that he's had bad luck, in the last it was a thundering kick on a red to centre.
The points are level, Higgins has lost position and there are four reds left. What a vital frame this is now, either level or a two frame gap. Higgins has found another red after he missed a double and O'Sullivan over cut his attempt to centre. Higgins has a 14 point lead with two reds left and they're still trying to cut one into the centre and this time O'Sullivan does, but he's not on a colour. He's failed to roll up and left a free ball. Now he has to escape from the snooker on the last red and he has, but he's 17 points behind now. Ronnie potted a great yellow but played a terrible safety on the black and has thrown the frame away - or has he. Higgins has missed an easy black with the rest. A fabulous break from O'Sullivan using lower value colours and he's 53 ahead with only 51 left on. He should go one up with two to play.
A long red has given Higgins a chance to get amongst the reds and accumulate enough points to level the match; but before that he'll need to split the pack. The tension is visible now. Higgins has missed a routine black off its spot having made 31 and Ronnie's found a red to get started, but he's over cut a difficult pink, so a let off for Higgins, but he won't get many more chances. He's taken his chance and we're heading into the final frame of the final match to be played at the Wembley Conference Centre. What a fitting climax to the great history of this wonderful tournament.
Well here we go, the final frame and Ronnie starts with a long red to the green pocket to get underway. He's split the reds off the blue and it's a match winning chance. He's up to 54 and more reds await. He's missed on 60 and there's 75 still on. But no easy opener for Higgins and he's missed a long one but left nothing. Higgins has tickled a red into the centre at dead weight and here is his last chance. Higgins has doubled the last red and now he needs all the colours to pinch the match. This would be one of the most remarkable clearances of all time if he can pull it off. He's on the yellow. It's all about nerve. He's done it and that is one of the best breaks in the history of the game.
That red should have never gone in the middle bag in the last frame. 
