Fast Results

Scores

John Higgins

Snooker results: John Higgins beats Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 10-7 at World Championship

By Sporting Life

Snooker

Thu April 21, 2022 · 3y ago

Four-time world champion John Higgins booked his place in the second round thanks to a 10-7 victory over Thepchaiya Un-Nooh at the Crucible.

Higgins began the second session trailing 5-4, but took control of proceedings when winning four of the first five frames of the morning and was always able to keep his opponent at arms length thereafter.

The Scot chalked up his third century of the match when stroking in a sublime run of exactly 100 in frame 13 and he closed out the match with a typically clinical break of 65.

Higgins will face either Belgium’s Luca Brecel or Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham in the last 16.

Higgins told World Snooker Tour: "It’s always more nerve-racking in the first round because you just want to get through and get into the tournament.

"Every draw is tough but for Thepchaiya, it was almost like he had a free hit coming in after almost falling off the tour this season. I thought his scoring was great but he missed a couple of balls. Everyone does that – it’s difficult out there.

"I feel as if I am hitting the ball well at the moment. That can get better the longer I stay in the event."

John Higgins enjoys staying in Sheffield.

That's what he will be doing, following a 10-7 win over Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the first round of the @Betfred World Championship!#ilovesnooker pic.twitter.com/gmNk7vfeVs
— World Snooker Tour (@WeAreWST) April 20, 2022

Lisowski falls over the line

Jack Lisowski came through a nervy finish to see off two-time runner-up Matthew Stevens 10-8.

Lisowski held a 6-3 advantage overnight, but saw that lead wiped out as Stevens claimed the first three frames after the resumption courtesy of breaks of 54, 99 and 69.

To his credit, Lisowski responded with runs of 78, 51 and 83 to put together a three-frame sequence himself, moving 9-6 in front and seemingly on course for a comfortable finish.

Stevens had other ideas, however, and as Lisowski began to wilt with the winning line in sight, the Welshman drew on all of his previous experience to win the 16th and 17th frames.

Lisowski was in first in the following frame, but he was clearly feeling the heat as Stevens threatened to the take the match to a deciding frame, only for a missed red to seal his fate and allow Lisowski to finally close out the match.

Jack Lisowski battled past Matthew Stevens

Lisowski said afterwards: "I was disappointed with the way I started today, but at the end I showed a bit of character to take a lead.

"Peter Ebdon is making a big difference to my game – especially the mental side. He helped me last night at the mid-session interval when it was 2-2. I spoke to him and something clicked.

"I played three good frames and I owe that to him. I don’t know if I’d have done that without him."

Trump builds healthy lead

2019 world champion Judd Trump established a 6-3 lead in his first-round match against debutant Hossein Vafaei.

Trump had looked to play down expectations of another success after claiming just one ranking event title which came at the inaugural Turkish Masters last month.

However, the Crucible crowd were treated to a vintage display during the opening frames of Wednesday’s afternoon match, with a break of 110 seeing 2019 champion Trump open up a 3-0 lead.

Iranian Vafaei, though, had his first World Championship frame on the board to reduce the deficit ahead of the mid-session interval.

Qualifier Vafaei was a level at 3-3 after also edging the fifth and then taking the next with a break of 99 after just missing the chance of a maiden century on the final red.

A composed run of 56 helped Trump take the seventh frame, and the former champion edged 5-3 ahead following a rerack in the next before a 73 clearance increased his advantage to take into Thursday’s conclusion.

Kyren Wilson, runner-up in 2020, won four of the last five frames to beat Ding Junhui 10-8.

Wilson was trailing for most of the match but came good with some clutch matchplay, with breaks of 65 and 62 when the match was tied at 8-8.

Elsewhere, Noppon Saengkham leads Luca Brecel 6-3 after the opening session of their match.

Wednesday April 20 scores

First round (best of 19)
Morning Session: 1000 BST
TV Channel: BBC Two/Eurosport

Kyren Wilson (5) 4-5 Ding Junhui (Match 5) *
John Higgins (6) 10-7 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Match 12) *

Afternoon Session: 1430 BST
TV Channel: BBC Two/Eurosport

Judd Trump (4) 6-3 Hossein Vafaei (Match 8)
Jack Lisowski (14) 10-8 Matthew Stevens (Match 10) *

Evening Session: 1900 BST
TV Channel: BBC Four/Eurosport

Kyren Wilson (5) 10-8 Ding Junhui (Match 5) *
Luca Brecel (11) 3-6 Noppon Saengkham (Match 11)

Next Off

Fixtures & Results

Fetching latest games....