Speaking to the BBC’s Hazel Irvine in the immediate aftermath of his defeat to Robertson, the host told Higgins that it was “great drama for the crowd” but asked if it was tough to lose in such a fashion, for Higgins to bluntly reply: “Yeah, it was.”

Robertson, meanwhile, had a pointed dig for Beeb pundit Stephen Hendry after clinching just the sixth comeback from 5-1 down at the Masters.

Hendry had criticised Robertson for his slow play at the table, saying on his Cue Tips YouTube channel: “Neil Robertson playing zero-risk snooker, playing at 28-29 seconds a shot when his best is 22-23.

“I’ve spoken to Neil Robertson about it on text. He told me the reasons why he was doing it, which is fair enough. But I said to him he’s a far better player when he’s not.”

“I don’t think John did a lot wrong. I played at my absolute best. I’m glad I could take my chance with Ronnie dropping out and give the crowd something to cheer today. I don’t think many people have seen what I can do. That match shows how well I can play.”

Higgins appeared in complete control of the match with five consecutive half-century breaks to move within a frame of the last eight, in five frames where Robertson scored just 16 points in total.