The Wizard Strikes Back: 50-Year-Old Higgins Stuns Trump in Masters Thriller
At the age of 50, John Higgins once again reminded the snooker world why he is regarded as one of the greatest competitors the game has ever seen. The four-time world champion produced a thrilling, nerve-shredding performance to defeat world No.1 Judd Trump 6–5 in the first semi-final of the Masters, becoming the oldest player in history to reach a Triple Crown final.
The match was a rollercoaster from the very start. Trump began in dominant fashion, dictating the early exchanges with confidence and precision to surge into a commanding 3–0 lead. His long-potting was razor sharp, and it appeared Higgins was in danger of being swept aside. However, the momentum shifted in the fourth frame when Trump missed a routine yellow, offering Higgins a lifeline. The Scot seized the opportunity and closed the frame to trail 3–1, a small moment that proved pivotal.
After the mid-session interval, Higgins emerged with renewed determination. Drawing on decades of experience, he tightened his safety play and gradually wrestled control back from Trump. Frame by frame, the “Wizard of Wishaw” clawed his way back, turning the deficit into a 4–3 lead and leaving the packed arena buzzing with anticipation.
Trump, however, was far from finished. In the eighth frame, he built a 62–40 advantage, but Higgins once again threatened a steal, narrowing the gap to 62–55. Yet a missed black from Higgins proved costly, allowing Trump to pot it and reassert his lead at 5–3. The match had swung again.
Refusing to surrender, Higgins showcased immense mental resilience. He took the ninth frame to make it 5–4, before producing another composed display in the tenth to level the contest at 5–5. The decider was a battle of nerve and precision, played in front of a fully packed venue and millions watching around the world.
A costly miss from Trump on the brown opened the door, and Higgins stepped through without hesitation. With ice-cold composure, he cleared the table to complete a remarkable comeback, winning three frames in succession and sealing a famous 6–5 victory.
It was a heist answered by a heist—pure drama, no controversy—just elite snooker at its finest. Higgins finally ended an eight-match losing streak against Trump and now stands on the brink of a third Masters title, exactly 20 years after his last triumph. He awaits the winner of Wu Yize and Kyren Wilson in what promises to be another unforgettable final.
