John Higgins crafted a decisive final-frame century to secure a 13-11 lead over Shaun Murphy in their World Championship semi-final at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre on Friday. The break of 101, his first of the match, gave the Scot a two-frame cushion for the first time in a contest where he had never led at the end of a session. The winner faces either China's Wu Yize or Northern Ireland's Mark Allen for the title.
The concluding chapter of this best-of-33 encounter begins Saturday at 14:30 BST. For Higgins, it represents a shot at a record-equalling ninth final appearance in Sheffield. For Murphy, the 2005 champion, the immediate task is clear: win the opening frames or watch the match slip away.
Resuming at 8-8 after a tense morning, Murphy struck first. A break of 60 pushed the Englishman into the lead for the first time since the end of the seventh frame. The momentum was his.
It did not last. Higgins responded immediately. Runs of 44 and 55 restored parity.
Then came a moment of vintage tactical play. The Scot laid a snooker on the brown, pinched the frame, and edged ahead. The pattern of the match held: every advance by one player triggered a response from the other.
A wonderful break of 82 from Murphy ensured they could not be separated at the mid-session interval. The scoreboard read 10-10. The Crucible crowd settled in for a classic.
What followed was superb snooker. Higgins constructed a 63 to move one ahead. Murphy answered with a stunning century from the Scot's break-off shot.
The Magician's response was emphatic. At that stage, 12-12 looked the likeliest outcome to a session brimming with resolve from both men. Higgins found another gear.
A run of 70 put him back in front. Then, with the final frame of the evening, he delivered the knockout blow. A break of 101, clinical and composed, sent him to the dressing room with a two-frame lead.
It was the first time all tournament he had ended a session in front. "It's what John Higgins has done in every match this championship," seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry told BBC Two. "He's got better as each match has gone on and played his best snooker near the end of the match. He knows when the business end of these games are and he just finds gears, that's what he's always done."
Former World Championship semi-finalist Joe Perry echoed the sentiment. "That's the best John Higgins has looked in this semi-final," Perry said. "Since the interval that's breaks of 63, 70 and a century — clinical, one-frame snooker, that's what you want at this stage of the match."
The numbers tell the story. Higgins compiled breaks of 44, 55, 63, 70, and 101 in the evening session alone. Murphy managed a 60, an 82, and a century of his own.
The quality never dipped. The tension never broke. Higgins turns 51 later this month.
His longevity defies the sport's physical and mental demands. A ninth final would equal the record. Only Hendry, with nine, has reached more.
Higgins currently sits on eight, level with Ronnie O'Sullivan and Steve Davis. The history books are within reach. Murphy's path to this semi-final has been impressive.
The 2005 champion has rebuilt his game after years of inconsistency. His long potting has been devastating. His temperament has held.
But Higgins, in the crucial moments, has been immovable. The other semi-final pits Wu Yize against Mark Allen. That match is locked at 12-12 after the longest frame in Crucible history.
The winner faces a quick turnaround. The final begins Sunday. Whoever emerges will meet a battle-hardened opponent.
For Higgins, the stakes extend beyond personal glory. A ninth title would draw him level with O'Sullivan and Hendry on seven world championships. Only Hendry, with seven, and Davis and Ray Reardon, with six each, have more.
The conversation about the greatest of all time would shift decisively. The policy says one thing. The reality says another.
Snooker's governing body has pushed for younger audiences, faster formats, and global expansion. Yet here, at the sport's most important event, a man approaching 51 is delivering its most compelling narrative. The contrast is stark.
What this actually means for your family. Nothing, perhaps, if you do not watch snooker. But for the millions who do, Higgins represents something rare in modern sport: mastery that deepens with age.
In an era of teenage prodigies and early burnout, his run is a counter-narrative. It says experience still matters. It says craft outlasts athleticism.
Both sides claim victory. Here are the numbers. Higgins has won 13 frames, Murphy 11.
The Scot needs four more for a place in the final. Murphy needs six. The math favors the four-time champion.
But snooker is not played on spreadsheets. The Crucible Theatre holds 980 people. Every seat was filled Friday evening.
The atmosphere, intimate and electric, is unique in sport. Players feel the crowd's breath. They hear the murmurs.
Higgins has thrived here for three decades. Murphy has tasted glory here once before. Both know what Saturday afternoon demands.
Behind the diplomatic language lies a simple truth. Murphy must start fast. A lost opening frame and the deficit becomes three.
At 14-11, the mountain grows steep. Higgins, conversely, will look to squeeze. His safety play, among the best in history, can suffocate an opponent.
The first four frames will likely decide the match. Why It Matters: A Higgins victory would place him in a ninth Crucible final, equaling the all-time record and keeping alive his pursuit of a seventh world title. For Murphy, a comeback would mark his first final appearance since 2015 and cap a remarkable resurgence.
The outcome shapes the legacy debate in snooker's modern era. - John Higgins leads Shaun Murphy 13-11 after three sessions of their best-of-33 World Championship semi-final. - Higgins compiled his first century of the match in the final frame of the evening, a break of 101. - The winner will face either Wu Yize or Mark Allen, whose semi-final is tied at 12-12. - A victory for Higgins would secure a record-equalling ninth Crucible final appearance. The match is a race to 17 frames. Higgins needs four.
The Crucible will be packed. By early evening, one man will be preparing for a world final. The other will be left to wonder what might have been.
Key Takeaways
— - John Higgins leads Shaun Murphy 13-11 after three sessions of their best-of-33 World Championship semi-final.
— - Higgins compiled his first century of the match in the final frame of the evening, a break of 101.
— - The winner will face either Wu Yize or Mark Allen, whose semi-final is tied at 12-12.
— - A victory for Higgins would secure a record-equalling ninth Crucible final appearance.
Source: BBC Sport
