John Higgins wins 2016 Champion of Champions

John Higgins has won the 2016 Champion of Champions tournament, defeating Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-7 in the final.

The Scotsman took the £100,000 top prize and enjoyed another match full of top snooker, just a week after winning the China Championship. For O’Sullivan, it was his first-ever defeat in the history of the revived event – he won the tournament in 2013 and 2014, and didn’t compete last year.

In the final, Higgins won the first frame with a break of 75, and his opponent responded with a 68. Higgins inched ahead again with a 74, and O’Sullivan replied with an 88. O’Sullivan took the lead for the first time with a 90, but Higgins responded with a 79 and a 65 to lead 4-3. The eighth frame was the first one that went a little tense – both players missed simple blacks, but breaks of 61 and 27 were enough for O’Sullivan to level again. Higgins missed a brown in the ninth frame on 48, giving O’Sullivan the chance to clear up and enter the evening session with the narrowest of leads, 5-4.

In the evening, there proved nothing between the two players yet again. Higgins won the first two frames, and then O’Sullivan levelled at 6-6. Higgins made an 83, and then O’Sullivan responded with a 130, the highest break of the match and the only century of the final. But he couldn’t capitalise on the momentum of the century, scoring just one point in the final three frames. Higgins made 76 and 86 to move within one of victory, and breaks of 40 and 58 secured the final.

Well played to John, he played fantastic all week – he was by far the best player of the week

– Ronnie O’Sullivan

After the match, Higgins said: “This is the 16 best players in the world each year, because they have won tournaments. I am delighted to put my name to that list of Champion of Champions winners; it has been a good two weeks and you have to roll with it when it is going for you.

“I can’t speak for Ronnie but I was buzzed up coming into play. I just wish my old man was still here to see me take part in these finals.

“I thought I had missed the boat at 5-4, he missed a couple but I never took advantage. I was thinking, is that going to give him confidence and then he will go on a roll? I stuck with it and felt great coming into tonight.

“It is up to people to think about [if I am playing as well as I ever have]. When I play like that, there is no greater feeling. You get in the balls and think you are going to clear up at every chance. I missed a couple at the end but potted a good long red to swing it back my way and finish it off. There is no better feeling than doing it in front of a packed audience, playing against somebody as good as Ronnie.”

O’Sullivan said: “Well played to John, he played fantastic all week – he was by far the best player of the week. I tried to hang on in there today and make a game of it. John is on a roll at the minute, he is really starting to play as he did a few years ago, so for me he is probably the best player in the world at the moment with the way he is playing.

“I need to find some consistency if I am going to win tournaments again. It is ok playing in spells but you get found out playing players like John. Against most players I might have had a chance of winning but against world-class opposition I made too many mistakes.”