Higgins And Xiao Set For Late Finish To Last-16 Tie

The World Championship last-16 necktie betwixt John Higgins and Xiao Guodong is group for a melodramatic late-night decorativeness pinch nan Scot needing 1 much framework to scope nan quarter-finals.

Only 7 of a imaginable 9 frames could beryllium completed successful clip earlier nan day convention was scheduled to statesman astatine 14:30 BST pinch Higgins starring 12-11 successful nan first-to-13 match.

Higgins had a glorious chance to wrap up nan necktie arsenic he led 53-33 successful nan 23rd framework but missed a achromatic disconnected nan spot earlier Xiao kept his tourney hopes alive.

That intends they will person to play to a decorativeness later connected Saturday, resuming connected nan first disposable array aft nan scheduled evening matches person taken place.

After yesterday's 2 sessions nan lucifer was tied astatine 8-8 and Xiao, classed 14th successful nan world, made a break of 76 to move 9-8 ahead, only for four-time champion Higgins to respond by taking nan adjacent 2 frames to nudge successful beforehand astatine 10-9.

But nan 20th framework lasted much than 62 minutes, pinch Higgins incapable to person a 46-25 lead earlier Xiao yet produced a good cookware connected nan pinkish to return a hard-fought frame.

Higgins responded good pinch a break of 84 and past took nan 22nd framework to move 1 distant from victory.

But aft Higgins' missed achromatic successful framework 23, Xiao held his nervus pinch a tally of 36 to enactment successful nan tourney and unit nan necktie into a precocious finish.

Higgins, 49, has won nan Crucible title 4 times, mislaid successful 4 further finals, gone retired successful nan semi-finals connected 3 occasions and fallen astatine nan last-eight hurdle 7 times, including nan past 2 seasons.