05/07/08 03:39 BST
  Bingo Poker Sky Games Odds Bet Now Video Competitions Mobile
 
 SNOOKER CALENDAR

RECORD-BREAKER HIGGINS CRUSHES RONNIE

Click here for tournament results in full

John Higgins blew away Ronnie O'Sullivan on Sunday night with a sensational potting masterclass which won him the Grand Prix in Preston.

The Wizard of Wishaw was simply irresistible as he beat the mercurial O'Sullivan into submission, rewriting the record books en route to a 9-2 victory at the Guild Hall.

Higgins, last season's British Open winner, led 5-2 after the afternoon interval, of which he won the last three frames.

The success continued following the resumption as the on-song Scot won the next three frames without the Rocket scoring a point.

The world number six amassed a breathtaking 494 unanswered points, breaking three long-standing world snooker records.

The previous record for unanswered points in a ranking event was 485, set by Higgins himself in 2000 when he beat Nottingham's Anthony Hamilton at the World Championship.

His impressive ball-potting also saw him set a new world record for the most ever unanswered points in any match, set by fellow Scot Stephen Hendry.

Hendry had 487 unanswered points against Jimmy White when he beat him 6-0 in the 1996 Masters at Wembley.

Higgins finished with a staggering 494 unanswered points to make history, but the magic did not stop there.

His four back-to-back centuries had never previously been achieved in a ranking event. Higgins soon put an end to that.

His 103 break before the evening session paved the way, followed by runs of 104, 138 and 128.

"I won it for my two boys tonight," said Higgins, referring to his children, Pierce and Oliver.

"I just felt I was as though I wasn't going to miss. It just reminded me of how I used to play a few years ago.

"I just knew I was going to clean up at 4-2. At that point I just didn't feel as though I was going to miss."

Higgins' success at the British Open in Brighton last year was his first ranking event title for four years.

But he attributes his success in Preston to "finding the zone again".

"I feel 100 times better within myself than I did this time last year.

"I didn't even know I'd done four centuries. It's a great record."

Higgins' victory scooped him a winner's cheque of £60,000, while beaten finalist, and last year's winner O'Sullivan, took home £30,000 worth of prize money.

Despite defeat, O'Sullivan paid tribute to Higgins, whom he termed was "an artist".

"That was fantastic snooker. It really was unbelievable. I've never seen anything like that before," admitted O'Sullivan.

"He just destroyed me. You've just got to take your hat off to him. He was amazing."



----------------------------------------------------------------
Part of 365 Media Group

Sports News & Entertainment
Sporting Life | TEAMtalk.com | Sportal | Football365 | Cricket365
Golf365 | Fixtures365 | Extreme365 | Rivals.net | Planet F1
Planet Rugby | Sky Sports

Betting & Gaming
Bettingzone.co.uk | Sky Bet | Sky Poker | Sky Vegas | Sky Bingo
Oddschecker - Casino Poker Bingo | Free Bets

Mobile, Fun & Games
Sky Games | Sports.co.uk | 24-7 Football
Fantasy Football | Fantasy Cricket
----------------------------------------------------------------

© 2008 Sporting Life UK Ltd, All Rights Reserved.
Email Your Comments - Advertise With Us - About/Contact Us
Terms & Conditions - Privacy Policy - RSS


2007-2008 Season
Roewe Shanghai Masters
Grand Prix
Northern Ireland Trophy
Maplin UK Championship
SAGA Insurance Masters
Malta Cup
Welsh Open
Beijing China Open
888.com World Championship
2006-2007 Season
Northern Ireland Trophy
Grand Prix
Travis Perkins UK Championship
SAGA Insurance Masters
Malta Cup
Welsh Open
China Open
888.com World Championship
2005-2006 Season
Northern Ireland Trophy
Grand Prix
Travis Perkins UK Championship
SAGA Insurance Masters
Malta Cup
Welsh Open
China Open
888.com World Championship
2004-2005 Season
Grand Prix
British Open
Travis Perkins UK Championship
Welsh Open
Malta Cup
Rileys Club Masters
Failte Ireland Irish Masters
China Open
Embassy World Championship
2003-2004 Season
LG Cup
British Open
Travis Perkins UK Championship
Welsh Open
The Masters
European Open
Citywest Irish Masters
Scottish Open
Embassy World Championship
2002-2003 Season
Regal Masters
LG Cup
B & H Championship
British Open
UK Championship
Regal Welsh
B & H Masters
European Open
Citywest Irish Masters
Regal Scottish
Embassy World Championship
2001-2002 Season
Champions Cup
Regal Masters
British Open
LG Cup
European Open
UK Championship
Regal Welsh
Benson & Hedges Masters
China Open
Thailand Masters
Citywest Irish Masters
Regal Scottish
Embassy World Championship
2000-2001 Season
British Open
Grand Prix
Regal Masters
Champions Cup
Benson & Hedges Championship
Liverpool Victoria UK Championship
China Open
Nations Cup
Regal Welsh
Benson & Hedges Masters
Thailand Masters
Citywest Irish Masters
Regal Scottish
Embassy World Championship

Search     for   Top Searches
The best results from google, Ask Jeeves, Yahoo! and more