SNOOKER - Higgins Suffers Shock Defeat
By Jon Wilde
April 19 2006
SNOOKER - Higgins Suffers Shock Defeat
By Jon Wilde of Bettingzone.co.uk
John Higgins, this season's most successful player, crashed to a shock 10-4 defeat against Mark Selby in the first round of the 888.com World Championship at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre on Sunday night.
The Scot, winner of the Grand Prix and the Masters and many people's favourite to capture this title, trailed 6-3 overnight and could find no way back into the match when it resumed.
It represented a complete turnaround from when the duo met at the same stage last year, Higgins having prevailed 10-5 that time.
The seventh seed looked as though he could come back when he took Sunday night's opening frame, but amazingly he then lost four in succession as his 22-year-old opponent struck a rich vein of form.
Selby knocked in two century breaks, a 123 and a 110, plus contributions of 58 and 59 to leave the 1998 champion stunned.
"I just couldn't get going," said 30-year-old Higgins, from Wishaw. "It was a funny match and I started very scrappily yesterday but Mark played great tonight.
"It looks like he has changed his game from last year. I thought he was a player who wasn't going to do much in the game but he looks like one who could do very well now.
"I came here with high hopes after having such a good season but if someone keeps you in your seat there's not much you can do."
Higgins is not the first big name Selby has conquered, having beaten Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry, but this was his first ever win at the Crucible.
"It's a dream come true," said the Leicester player, who faces Mark Williams or Anthony Hamilton in the second round. "I was tense at the start of the match but I felt brilliant at the end.
"I believe I can go all the way now. I don't think anyone could have played as well against John as I did tonight."
Steve Davis set up an appetising second-round encounter with title-holder Shaun Murphy by completing a 10-4 win against Andy Hicks.
It was a largely convincing display by the six-times winner, who was runner-up at this season's UK Championship, although the final frame lasted 51 minutes and featured 34 points in fouls.
"I quite enjoyed it," said the 48-year-old.
"I was even able to laugh at some of the shots I missed and the crowd were laughing too.
"It was a bizarre match and in the end I just had to play tactically well to win.
"Now I'm looking forward to playing Shaun. I love the way he plays but I would love to turn him over and I fancy my chances because I will go in there and play aggressively."
Stephen Lee rediscovered his form at just the right time to go through 10-8 against Ali Carter.
The 31-year-old, winner of the Welsh Open last month, let slip a 7-3 lead and trailed 8-7 before reeling off three consecutive frames.
In probably the most attractive first-round tie, 1997 champion Ken Doherty rendered the opening session incredibly one-sided as he took an 8-1 lead over rising star Barry Hawkins.
The Irishman did not need to do anything spectacular as Hawkins, on his Crucible debut, failed to produce the form that has provisionally lifted him into the top 10 of next season's rankings.
John Parrott made what could be his final World Championship farewell as a player when he lost 10-3 to Graeme Dott.
The 1991 champion is a shadow of the competitor he was and with his ranking for next season likely to be in the 40s, he will need to win two qualifying matches to book a place in Sheffield again.
"The day before I came here I practised for two hours and never missed a ball, but in the match I could hardly pot one," said the 41-year-old former Question of Sport captain.
"I was never in control of what I was doing and never got off the ground.
"But I will keep playing next season. My ranking won't be too bad and I'll dust the cue off because I still love to play and compete."
Fourth seed Stephen Maguire will take a 6-3 advantage over Mark King into tomorrow's conclusion, the Scot having recorded a half-century break in each of the last four frames.
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