John Higgins produced a vintage fightback to defeat world champion Zhao Xintong on the black in a final-frame decider as he reached the semi-finals of the Masters.
It was a remarkable conclusion to a thrilling contest at Alexandra Palace, with two-time winner Higgins, who appeared to be down and out when he trailed 5-3, receiving a huge ovation after wrapping up a 6-5 triumph.
“I was so lucky, in the second-to-last frame I tried a plant and butchered it and fluked a ball. It was fate maybe,” Higgins told BBC Sport.
“I stayed down a little bit extra on the final black to make sure I could not miss it.”
In a high-quality encounter China’s Zhao constructed breaks of 89 and 74, while Higgins responded with a superb 114 and run of 64 as the players traded the first six frames.
Zhao, who was aiming to complete snooker’s Triple Crown, capitalised and opened up a 5-3 lead when Higgins went in-off after potting a red to the middle in the seventh frame and then missed a crucial black in the eighth frame.
However, Higgins, who is making a record-extending 32nd consecutive appearance at the Masters, rallied and benefited from some good fortune to get back to 5-4 and then force an 11th frame.
In a see-saw finale the 50-year-old Scot, who last won the invitational tournament in 2006, cleared the colours after Zhao broke down on 53 and missed a tough red to the top-right corner.
Higgins will now face either Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen or world number one Judd Trump in the last four on Saturday (13:00 GMT).
