John Higgins won his first ranking title since 2021 with a commanding 10-6 victory over Joe O'Connor in the World Open final in Yushan.
Higgins has suffered a number narrow defeats in big matches since in his last tournament success at the Players Championship four years ago, including in the UK Championship and Masters this season.
But the 49-year-old made no mistake on Saturday, capping a fine week which saw him overcome a bout of illness and then come through a titanic tussle with Zak Surety in the semi-finals.
Higgins broke the back of the match early in the piece, dominating the opening session and ending it with a 6-2 advantage thanks to breaks of 52, 82, 62, 63, 68 and 70.
It was vintage stuff from the four-time world champion and though O'Connor briefly rallied to reduce his arrears to 7-4, he was never truly able to land a glove on his opponent.
Further runs of 57 and 94 moved Higgins 9-4 ahead, giving him a healthy cushion that meant he still had plenty of breathing space when O'Connor won two frames of his own in response.
A majestic break of exactly 100, his fifth century of the week, saw Higgins finish the job in style, consigning O'Connor to another defeat in a major final following his loss to Gary Wilson at the Scottish Open in 2022.
For Higgins, it was a welcome triumph that ensures he will be seeded for next month's World Championship at the Crucible where he will surely fancy his chances of a deep run.
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"I'm just delighted. I am drained, there has been a lot of nervous energy in the last couple of days. I am dead proud to win another big event at this age," Higgins told World Snooker Tour.
"I didn't know if I was going to win another event because I have taken so many devastating losses over the last three or four years. To come back and win this is a proud moment.
"Joe didn't play his best today, having been unbelievable all week. He didn't have the same game he had against Shaun, Judd and Ali.
"The first frame was massive because he had a chance to win it on the last black and if he had gone 1-0 up he would have taken confidence.
"I kept him under pressure, my safety was pretty good all day. He's a great all-round player but just didn't turn up today, he'll come again I'm sure.
"It should give me belief and confidence. I hope I can win more but it's still the toughest it has ever been at the top.
"I'll try and do well in the World Grand Prix and then take some decent presents back to the kids."
