Higgins Maintains Semi-Final Lead
John Higgins shared the frames with Kyren Wilson in the second session of their Betfred World Championship semi-final to keep his two-frame advantage intact at 9-7.
Scotland’s four-time Crucible king Higgins pipped his opponent in yesterday’s opening session to take a 5-3 lead into this morning.
Wilson is making his first appearance in a World Championship semi-final after securing a landmark 13-6 victory in the last eight against Mark Allen, following consecutive quarter-final exits in 2016 and 2017.
After a nervous start yesterday, Wilson got off to a flyer this morning by taking the opening frame to move within one. Higgins then restored his cushion in a tight tenth frame which lasted beyond the half hour mark.
The trend of Higgins keeping Wilson at arm’s length would become a familiar one by the end of the morning. The 30-time ranking event winner pulled further clear at 7-4, before Wilson claimed two on the bounce to trail by just a frame at 7-6.
There was high drama in the 14th frame, with Wilson in position to draw level for the first time since the start of the match. However, he missed a tricky final blue along the top cushion. Higgins was then set to steal the frame, but fell out of prime position on the black and missed as he attempted a cut to the middle. He wasn’t punished and eventually got back to the table to move 8-6 ahead.
A gritty run of 74 from 26-year-old Wilson reduced the gap to a single frame once again. But, it was Higgins who claimed the last of the session to emerge with his two-frame advantage at 9-7.
They return this evening at 7pm.