John Higgins summoned another epic performance to beat Neil Robertson 13-10 to make the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It comes off the back of a 13-12 win for the ages against Ronnie O\u2019Sullivan and a tough first round victory over Ali Carter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The four-time World Champion will now face Shaun Murphy, who he beat in the 2009 world final, for a place in the title match. Whoever progresses will be aiming to snap a three-final losing streak at the Theatre of Dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It will will be the Wizard of Wishaw\u2019s 12th<\/sup> time competing in the hallowed single table setup. Higgins draws level with Stephen Hendry for semi-final appearances, only O\u2019Sullivan (14) has more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 51-year-old becomes the oldest semi-finalist since Ray Reardon back in 1985 and victory in the last four would see him emerge as the oldest ever Crucible finalist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Defeat will come as a bitter pill to swallow for 2010 World Champion Robertson. He\u2019s now gone 12 years without appearing in the semi-finals. A loss to Mark Selby in 2014 was his most recent trip to the last four in Sheffield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They came into the evening session with Robertson holding a two-frame cushion at 9-7. However, that was quickly eliminated when Higgins fired in breaks of 66 and 77 to restore parity at 9-9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Robertson stopped the rot in the next with a break of 77 to move 10-9 in front, before a dramatic 20th<\/sup> frame. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgins missed a tricky green in the middle, only for Robertson to go in off and leave the frame at the Scot\u2019s mercy. He obliged and headed in for the interval level at 10-10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the other table finishing during the break, the pair returned to a rapturous reception from the entire Crucible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgins took the first frame when they recommenced and subsequently took the lead for the first time since the opening frame, moving 11-10 ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A marathon 54-minute 22nd<\/sup> frame came down to the colours, with Higgins crucially potting a tremendous yellow and proceeding to clear the table and steal by a single point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgins compiled a break of 53 to gain control of the next and he eventually got over the line to book his last four slot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m so proud to beat an unbelievable champion in Neil over three tough sessions. What a win for me,\u201d said 31-time ranking event winner Higgins<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m loving it and I cannot wait to go out and play Shaun in that one-table Theatre tomorrow. I see they are already setting it up. I lost a close quarter-final to Mark Williams last year and I clicked on the TV and thought it would be special to be out there. I might never have got back to the one-table set up again but I am back there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think there has been a mentality shift in the last two years, not getting too down on myself. I really think I\u2019m a different person coming to events. I hope to play well but if I don\u2019t then I don\u2019t. I\u2019ve got a better mindset and I think that has helped me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Robertson said: \u201cThere are a lot of positives to take. I think a few years ago I\u2019d have been 10-6 down going into tonight. I was pleased how many frames I managed to battle to win. You can\u2019t keep doing that every session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe is a wonderful player. He has an incredible attitude to stay in matches. We saw that against Ronnie O\u2019Sullivan and I think that gave him a huge boost of confidence. It was always going to be tough against him. I\u2019m just disappointed I couldn\u2019t get the match on my terms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wu Yize, who had never won a match at the Crucible before this year, kept his fabulous run going at the World Championship as he beat Hossein Vafaei 13-8 to set up a semi-final with Mark Allen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yize’s approach is reminiscent of Zhao Xintong’s title run last season, with a seemingly fearless attitude which makes him dangerous for any opponent. Showcasing his\u00a0marvellous long potting and fluent scoring, China’s 22-year-old Yize has knocked out Lei Peifan, Mark Selby and Vafaei, making four centuries and 22 more breaks over 50.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He will take on Allen over a possible 33 frames over the next three days and will experience the fabled one-table situation in Sheffield for the first time. Yize is the fourth player from mainland China to reach the semi-finals at the Crucible, joining Zhao, Ding Junhui and Si Jiahui, and is into the last four of a ranking event for the eighth time in his five year pro career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Voted Rookie of the Year in 2022, Yize then made gradual progress, notably reaching the final of the English Open and Scottish Open last season. This term he has taken a giant step forward, winning his first ranking title in November when he beat John Higgins in the final of the International Championship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That shot him into the world’s top 16 and he is now up to tenth, and Yize also reached the semi-finals of the Masters on his debut in January. Clearly unfazed by the big occasion, the man from Lanzhou is looking to match Xintong’s achievement and become the second player from China to lift the trophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yize built a 10-6 lead by winning six of the eight frames in the second session, making breaks of 76, 71, 52, 102, 92 and 90. In the opening frame tonight he thumped in a long red to initiate a break of 75 and extend his lead. Vafaei pulled one back with runs of 71 and 55 before Yize’s delightful 135 total clearance made it 12-7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He had a match-winning chance in frame 20 but missed the black off its spot on 22 and Vafaei later made 50 to take the session to an interval. And Iran’s Vafaei might have cranked up the pressure on his opponent if he had won frame 21, but ran out of position on a break of 70 and Wu clinched the tie with a cool 55 clearance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yize said: “I’m absolutely delighted. The World Championship is the event I look forward to the most; every player feels the same. I hope I can keep enjoying it and bring more great performances to the fans. After getting some sleep last night, I woke up this morning feeling like a few things had clicked. Honestly, getting to this stage is already very satisfying. Now I hope I can keep enjoying it, and really get comfortable enjoying every moment out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “What makes me happiest is that I was able to deliver my game today and reach another semi-final this season. I hope I can do even better. I’d like to thank everyone who’s been supporting me. The live atmosphere will definitely be more intense out there. All the attention will be on that one table, so of course, there’s pressure, but I hope I can handle it and just enjoy the match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “For me, it’s about maintaining a high level consistently in scoring, as well as the defensive game, everything has to be solid if you want to win. But that’s the same for everyone. I’ve been putting in extra work to improve my safety play. The World Championship demands that you be a well-rounded player. In these long-frame matches, you need to do everything well to come out on top.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n After his best run at the Crucible, Vafaei said: “The future is looking bright for me, I am a lot better than I was a few months ago. I have turned a bad season into a much better one so I feel more positive and I have learned a lot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “Yize pots some unbelievable balls, he plays shots to nothing and gets on the baulk colours. It is very tough to play him. He did the same thing to Mark Selby, he is a talented boy.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zhao Xintong became the 21st first-time Crucible champion to fail to defend the title as Shaun Murphy scored a 13-10 victory to reach the semi-finals of the World Championship.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n A year ago, Xingtong became the first player from China to lift the famous trophy, and this time he hoped to end the famous Curse of the Crucible by successfully defending the crown. But just like the other 20 before him, including Luca Brecel and Kyren Wilson in the past two years, that challenge proved too tough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Coming into the tournament Xingtong was rated favourite, having won four titles this season, and he looked to be building momentum with wins over Liam Highfield and Ding Junhui, but a fantastic performance from Murphy ended his dreams.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Xingtong may regret failing to take charge of the contest when he had an early 3-0 lead, but as the tie progressed Murphy grew in confidence and scored heavily, making ten breaks over 50. He goes through to face Neil Robertson or John Higgins over 33 frames on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in his sixth Crucible semi-final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n World number eight Murphy won the title in 2005 at the age of just 22, the youngest champion other than Stephen Hendry, and was also runner-up in 2009, 2015 and 2021. At the age of 43, he is looking to join the elite club of players to have held the silverware in Sheffield on multiple occasions, achieved only by Steve Davis, Hendry, Mark Williams, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Higgins and Mark Selby. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After a ten-year spell without winning a Triple Crown event, Murphy landed the Masters last season, and he has been a consistently strong performer this term, winning the British Open and reaching two more finals and two other semi-finals, while making 59 centuries, the highest tally of his career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A break of 96 gave Murphy the opening frame today to lead 9-8, and he was on 42 in the next when he ran out of position, and Xingtong later made a 71 clearance to restore parity. England’s Murphy went 10-9 ahead with a run of 80 and in frame 20 he led 53-40 when he converted a mid-range green and added the brown to double his advantage.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n A sizzling long red set Murphy up for a break of 59 in the next before he failed to split the pack, but he got back in with another long red and added 70 to go 12-9 ahead. Xingtong pulled one back with an 81 but a run of 69 gave Murphy control of frame 23, and he sealed the result by clipping the last red into a baulk corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “It would mean more to me to win it now,” said Murphy. “I don’t remember that much about 2005, because it was my first win of any sort I didn’t know how to savour it. Everything was on video tape back then, that’s how long ago it was! I come here every year and try with every ounce of my being. I have been close a few times. Once you get to this stage, you have come a long way to go home with nothing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “When I was 3-0 down I would have bitten your hand off to be 8-8 after two sessions. I could have got annoyed with myself last night because I was 8-6 ahead then lost the last two frames, but I made sure I kept that in perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I am grateful to the crowd for their support, the guys on the front row were playing every shot for me. It was a fantastic atmosphere and there was great respect between the players. What a World Champion Xingtong has been, as a first time winner it’s hard to play that well. I have every belief that he’ll win it again.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Xingtong said: “Shaun played really well, he potted everything and put me under a lot of pressure, he deserved to win. I am happy now I can have a break and the pressure is off.\u00a0He made some changes to his break-off, and this made it harder for both of us to score smoothly from the beginning. It might have been a tactical choice for him, and he executed it extremely well.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Everyone is watching you and has high expectations for you. I’ve learned a lot from this experience and that will be very helpful for me going forward. I hope I can do even better next season.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" John Higgins summoned another epic performance to beat Neil Robertson 13-10 to make the semi-finals of the World<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[378],"class_list":["post-12433","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsbeat","tag-snooker"],"aioseo_notices":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/John-HIggins-1.jpg",2000,1280,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/John-HIggins-1-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/John-HIggins-1-300x192.jpg",300,192,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/John-HIggins-1-768x492.jpg",640,410,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/John-HIggins-1-1024x655.jpg",640,409,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/John-HIggins-1-1536x983.jpg",1536,983,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/John-HIggins-1.jpg",2000,1280,false],"morenews-large":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/John-HIggins-1-825x575.jpg",825,575,true],"morenews-medium":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/John-HIggins-1-590x410.jpg",590,410,true]},"author_info":{"info":["admin"]},"category_info":"Newsbeat<\/a>","tag_info":"Newsbeat","comment_count":"0","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/John-HIggins-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12433"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12434,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12433\/revisions\/12434"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Sensational Yize marches on<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Xingtong falls<\/h2>\n\n\n\n