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Higgins crushes Murphy for world title
Source: Agencies |
May 6, 2009, Wednesday
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SCOTLAND'S John Higgins secured his third world title with a crushing 18-9 victory over England's Shaun Murphy in the final in Sheffield, England, on Monday.
Leading 11-5 overnight, Higgins extended his lead to eight frames at 16-8 after the penultimate session and won two out of three frames when play resumed to seal victory, finishing the match off with a 73 break.
"To win it a third time is amazing. I knew my form was really close to being there coming into this tournament and, thank God, it was," Higgins told reporters after blazing to victory.
Higgins said the size of victory was not a fair reflection on the balance of the final.
"The score doesn't tell the story of the match because there were maybe five or six frames that went to the colors and that's why I'm sitting here at 18-9 instead of being out there at 15-14," he said.
Higgins became only the fourth player to win three titles at the Crucible, joining Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis and world No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan in an elite group.
The 33-year-old believes he can add to his tally over the next few years.
"I'm a lot more sensible than I was 10 years ago in a lot of ways," he said.
"I feel a lot more controlled at the table.
"I think I've got more titles left in me. Playing at that level, I could win maybe one or two more world titles.
"I think the next two or three years are going to be important years for me because that'll be when I'll have my best chances to win more titles."
Murphy, who won the title four years ago, was generous in defeat.
"He's such a good tactician who put me in some really tough spots," he said. "He's a great champion."
Murphy, 26, insists the defeat will spur him on to add to his solitary title success.
"It isn't nice losing here and I don't want to go through that again."
Higgins, whose previous successes at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre came in 1998 and 2007, received a check for 250,000 pounds (US$371,500).
Higgins' win saw him become the oldest Crucible world champion since Dennis Taylor triumphed in 1985 at the age of 36.
Higgins turns 34 on May 18.
Higgins, though, twice came close to losing in this year's tournament, needing final-frame deciders to beat both Jamie Cope and Mark Selby 13-12.
Leading 11-5 overnight, Higgins extended his lead to eight frames at 16-8 after the penultimate session and won two out of three frames when play resumed to seal victory, finishing the match off with a 73 break.
"To win it a third time is amazing. I knew my form was really close to being there coming into this tournament and, thank God, it was," Higgins told reporters after blazing to victory.
Higgins said the size of victory was not a fair reflection on the balance of the final.
"The score doesn't tell the story of the match because there were maybe five or six frames that went to the colors and that's why I'm sitting here at 18-9 instead of being out there at 15-14," he said.
Higgins became only the fourth player to win three titles at the Crucible, joining Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis and world No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan in an elite group.
The 33-year-old believes he can add to his tally over the next few years.
"I'm a lot more sensible than I was 10 years ago in a lot of ways," he said.
"I feel a lot more controlled at the table.
"I think I've got more titles left in me. Playing at that level, I could win maybe one or two more world titles.
"I think the next two or three years are going to be important years for me because that'll be when I'll have my best chances to win more titles."
Murphy, who won the title four years ago, was generous in defeat.
"He's such a good tactician who put me in some really tough spots," he said. "He's a great champion."
Murphy, 26, insists the defeat will spur him on to add to his solitary title success.
"It isn't nice losing here and I don't want to go through that again."
Higgins, whose previous successes at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre came in 1998 and 2007, received a check for 250,000 pounds (US$371,500).
Higgins' win saw him become the oldest Crucible world champion since Dennis Taylor triumphed in 1985 at the age of 36.
Higgins turns 34 on May 18.
Higgins, though, twice came close to losing in this year's tournament, needing final-frame deciders to beat both Jamie Cope and Mark Selby 13-12.
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