John Higgins high on hope after impressive Welsh Open triumph

John Higgins cruised past Ben Woollaston with a 9-3 victory to triumph in year’s Welsh Open, securing his first ranking title for two-and-a-half years.

The Scot, 33/1 with Coral to win the World Championship in May, this week showed glimpses of his past ferocious form which has previously helped him to triumph on four previous occasions at the Crucible.

Higgins made brilliant breaks of 84 and 105 on his way to building a comfortable 3-1 lead early on, before luckily grabbing the final frame before the interval, after fluking on a shot on the green.

‘The Wizard of Wishaw’ then breezed past his inexperienced opponent, rediscovering his killer potting instinct to dispatch Woollaston, by claiming four consecutive frames to win his fourth ever Welsh title.

With UK Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan recently making history, after overcoming Stephen Hendry’s all-time century breaks record, and both potters having won three Welsh crowns, Higgins was proud to have picked up a personal accolade of his own after his fourth success.

“It’s a good feeling. Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry have all the records sewn up so it’s good to have a little one,” said Higgins.

“It’s been tough (his poor spell). It’s great to come out and win and to be fair, nothing went right for Ben. I know what it’s like to be in a first final and he will be in many more so well done to him.”

Leicester-born Woollaston had an incredible run on the way to this year’s final, toppling Mark Davis, Mark Allen, Ali Carter and Mark Williams to set up his debut in a ranking final, and is 250/1 to cause a stunning upset at the Crucible this year.

Despite stumbling to a final defeat at the hands of experienced Higgins, the world number 36 is set to reap some reward of his potting exploits in Cardiff, with a possible leap into the top 32 world rankings now looking likely.