In a display of unmatched skill, four-time world champion John Higgins from Scotland swept past China's Pang Xunju with a decisive 5-0 victory in the World Snooker Tour (WST) World Open quarterfinals held in Shangrao, Jiangxi Province.
This win marks Higgins' continued dominance, especially over Pang, whom he last defeated 4-1 during the Welsh Open qualifiers in 2022. On the night in Shangrao, Higgins showcased his prowess by making a break of 125 in the first frame, followed by impressive breaks of 87, 96, and 81 in the subsequent frames, leaving Pang with no chance to counter.
Higgins now advances to face Englishman Zak Surety in the semifinals, after Surety overcame his compatriot Tom Fard with a 5-3 win on the same day.
The quarterfinals also featured another thrilling match where Joe O'Connor continued his remarkable journey by defeating Shaun Murphy 5-1. O'Connor opened with stellar breaks of 135 and 100, and despite Murphy's strong comeback with a 128 break, O'Connor secured the win with a final break of 132.
\"I played really well and didn't give Shaun many chances,\" O'Connor remarked. \"When the long pots are going in you have to punish the top players, that's what I did today and I'm proud of it. It's cementing confidence I have had for many years. This week it has all come together and hopefully I can win the trophy. If I play like that it will take a lot to stop me. I have been consistent for a while now and when my game clicks I feel I can beat anyone.\"
O'Connor is set to face another English competitor, Ali Carter, who made a remarkable comeback from 3-1 and 4-3 deficits to edge out Barry Hawkins 5-4. Carter has already clinched two of his six ranking titles in China.
Reference(s):
John Higgins sweeps Pang Junxu to reach WST World Open semifinals
cgtn.com
