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John Higgins claimed his second totesport.com Welsh Open title with a 9-4 victory over defending champion Ali Carter in Sunday's final at the Newport Centre.

The reigning world champion had entered the evening session 6-2 ahead after dominating the afternoon's proceedings in Gwent.

And the Scot moved 7-2 ahead thanks to a break of 72, putting him within two frames of victory and leaving Carter looking down the barrel of a heavy defeat. But Carter fought back bravely with a break of 60 to reduce the deficit before winning an astonishing 11th frame.

Higgins opened with a break of 72, missing a tough frame ball after potting nine reds and nine blacks and concentrating on a possible 147 maximum, only for Essex player Carter to complete a clearance of 73 to clinch the frame and make it 7-4.

But Higgins extinguished any hopes of a fightback as he took the next frame with a break of 40, but only after being given a scare when Carter's first attempted pot saw a red rattle in the jaws of the middle pocket before rebounding across the table into the opposite pocket.

Carter eventually made 36 but Higgins came through a tense safety battle to prevail.

Higgins secured his victory with a break of 76 in the 13th and final frame. The 34-year-old admitted his blistering start to the match had set him on the way to victory, believing it was some of the best snooker he has played.

"That's the best I have ever felt to be honest, I didn't know what was going on," he said.

"I was zoned in and I am delighted with how I played.

"But I also got a bit of luck, there were a lot of little rubs of the green that snooker players can see that went my way. Ali also had a few bad kicks."

Higgins hopes his success in Wales can be a boost ahead of his defence of his world crown later in the year.

He said: "That's what we're building towards, and this will give me confidence and I am looking forward to it."

Carter had no complaints about his defeat but was disappointed to relinquish his title.

He said: "I was under all sorts of pressure and I was just glad to make a game of it.

"I would have been glad to get back to 7-5, but he's done me 9-4 in the end.

"The crowd have been great this week and I am disappointed I couldn't keep my title, but I had a good go."

Higgins was always in control after surging 5-0 ahead with a near-immaculate display.

Carter could only watch in frustration as he was punished ruthlessly for any mistakes, before hitting back late in the afternoon session.

Higgins raced away with the first frame, using just the faintest amount of swerve to thread the cue ball through the narrowest of gaps and pot a red to begin a wonderful 95 clearance.

Carter cut a despondent figure as Higgins went better, compiling a break of 101 to take the second, including a superb double that was well received by the Newport crowd.

A beautiful cut blue into the middle pocket enabled Higgins to continue his domination, with a poor missed red by Carter helping him establish a 3-0 lead.

Once more reduced to the role of spectator, Carter watched helplessly as Higgins produced a 137 clearance with a tricky red the highlight to enter the interval four frames ahead.

An attempted fightback by the world number five in the fifth frame was ruthlessly crushed by Higgins, who was brought to the table by a missed routine red from Carter and then fired in a run of 81.

Carter squandered another sitter after taking a commanding lead in the sixth but a rare error from Higgins when aiming for a red to a middle pocket allowed him back in and this time he won the frame.

An attritional seventh saw Higgins emerge winner, though he enjoyed some luck while little went Carter's way.

The session finished on a dramatic note when Carter butchered an easy pink to conclude a break of 66 when he had the table at his mercy.

There was 67 left on the table and Higgins set about reeling in his opponent, just needing the pink and black to prevail but potting the white on the former to concede the frame.