World Snooker Championship 2026 recap – John Higgins and Shaun Murphy tied in semi-final

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World Snooker Championship 2026 live comments and streaming details. TNT Sports brings you frame-by-frame updates from the second session of the semi-final between John Higgins and Shaun Murphy at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Play begins at 10:00. The other semi-final is a battle of two players chasing a first title, with Mark Allen and Wu Yize facing off over the best of 33 frames.

Higgins uses rest on top of spider to pot black

Video credit: TNT Sports

Former champions still impossible to split

John Higgins and Shaun Murphy remain on level terms at 8-8 after the second session of their World Snooker Championship semi-final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

In the first session, Murphy will have felt disappointed to end level at four-apiece, but after this morning's play it is Higgins who will rue not holding an advantage after letting a two-frame advantage slip.

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Murphy looked set to take the opening frame but his break ended at 49 and Higgins cleaned up with a 75 to take his first lead of the match.

After Murphy won the next with an 88 - his only half-century of the session - Higgins won two out of the next three to establish an 8-6 advantage.

The last two frames of the day were scrappy but, just as Higgins did in the game's first stanza, Murphy prevailed in the crucial moments.

The key moment was Higgins missing the penultimate red with the rest, after which Murphy cleared up to put the match level going into this evening's session. This is a match which looks like going down to the 33rd frame.

Higgins 8-8 Murphy

We are still all square.

Higgins 8-7 Murphy (36-46*)

Murphy should be home now. He just needs to pot down to the pink to put the frame beyond doubt.

Higgins 8-7 Murphy (36-36*)

Higgins played a good positional shot but the red near the left cushion was still difficult with the rest and he leaves the ball in the jaws.

Higgins 8-7 Murphy (30*-35)

Higgins at the table now and closing on Murphy's total. The last two reds are on either cushion and will be tough to pot in a clearance.

Higgins 8-7 Murphy (14-35)

Murphy took a break for a drink and a wipe down of the cue after falling out of position, and just managing to pot a long blue. He follows up with a fantastic red, but then misses a relatively simple pink into the right middle. It is getting very tense.

Higgins 8-7 Murphy (14-22*)

A good red just away from the bottom cushion has Murphy in a good position to win the last frame of the session now.

Higgins 8-7 Murphy (14-7)

Both have missed pots you would never expect them to. Higgins here has a straight-forward red but, with his mind on developing future pots, he misses the shot.

Higgins 8-7 Murphy (1*-7)

Murphy is first at the table but misses a pink into the left middle, hitting the far jaw. Higgins gets going with a very good plant.

Higgins 8-7 Murphy (0-0)

Higgins hit the blue on the way back from the reds on the break, but Murphy misses the ensuing red.

Higgins 8-7 Murphy

Higgins pots the blue but then leaves the pink over the pocket for Murphy to put away, which he does with a sigh of relief. It would have been a big psychological blow to lose that frame.

Higgins 8-6 Murphy (35-58)

Higgins pots the brown. He still needs two snookers, or one two force a re-spotted black.

Higgins 8-6 Murphy (31-58)

Getting on the green was too tough for Higgins so he played safe, but then Murphy slots a very good green, which leaves the Scot needing two snookers.

Higgins 8-6 Murphy (23*-55)

Murphy misses a red and leaves Higgins on for a red and pink. Higgins has twice neglected to go for the red when he couldn't get on the big colours. Now he can deliver a real blow.

Higgins 8-6 Murphy (22-55)

Murphy tries to come off two cushions to leave a red safe from a snooker but misses, meaning Higgins can win if he clears up with pink or black. But the balls are not in a great position to do so it must be said.

Higgins 8-6 Murphy (18-55)

Higgins pots two reds and then looks to play a snooker on the last red.

Higgins 8-6 Murphy (2-55)

Higgins goes in off, so now he does need a snooker. And one more Murphy pot will surely seal the frame.

Higgins 8-6 Murphy (2-51)

Higgins pots the red but leaves the black in the jaws. One more red will from Murphy will leave him needing snookers.

Higgins 8-6 Murphy (1-51)

A couple of good long solo reds edge Murphy a bit closer to the frame but then he misses a yellow and leaves Higgins a chance now to clear up with 59 points left on the table.

Higgins 8-6 Murphy (1-49)

Murphy wisely made sure of a difficult red but, out of position, then sets Higgins in a snooker.

Higgins 8-6 Murphy (1-48*)

A smooth break has Murphy to the cusp of the finishing line in the frame, but he has stumbled from this position a few times today.

Higgins 8-6 Murphy (1-7*)

Higgins potted a red but could not follow it up and now it looks like Murphy has a good chance to make a dent in a crucial frame.

Higgins 8-6 Murphy

A break of 86, his highest of the match, gives Higgins a two-frame lead for the first time.

Higgins 7-6 Murphy (40*-34)

Higgins has the lead now and, after opening up the remaining pack off the blue, he could well seal the frame now.

Higgins 7-6 Murphy (8*-34)

Higgins breaks a safety impasse with a long red and the table looks pretty inviting to extend a lead to two frames for the first time in the session.

Higgins 7-6 Murphy (0-30)

Murphy falls out of position so plays a safety behind the green.

Higgins 7-6 Murphy (0-5*)

Murphy cuts a red into the left-middle to once more get the first look at the table.

Higgins 7-6 Murphy

Higgins makes sure of the blue, which left Murphy needing a snooker, but the Scot then slotted home the pink anyway.

Higgins 6-6 Murphy (54*-44)

Higgins now in front and should polish off the colours to take the lead for the third time this morning.

Higgins 6-6 Murphy (12-44)

Another miss, this time from Murphy missing a plant into the right middle, and Higgins should at least be able to get on level terms now.

Higgins 6-6 Murphy (12-37*)

Higgins leaves a red in the jaws. Not a miss anyone saw coming. A good chance for Murphy to take advantage.

Higgins 6-6 Murphy (8*-36)

Fine cueing from Higgins to pot the red and rebound off the cushion, setting himself up on the black.

Higgins 6-6 Murphy (0-36)

Murphy's break comes to an end as he goes in off into the right middle after cutting a red into the left-bottom pocket.

Higgins 6-6 Murphy (0-3*)

Murphy first on the board with a lucky, and unintended plant, into the bottom-left pocket. He shows extraordinary cue power to get on the next red.

Higgins 6-6 Murphy

Murphy sinks a long red to put the frame to bed and leave things level at the mid-session interval.

Higgins 6-5 Murphy (2-59)

Higgins plays on needing a snooker after the break comes to an end.

Higgins 6-5 Murphy (2-56*)

Higgins pots a red but leaves the ensuing black in the jaws. Murphy should now put the frame to bed.

Higgins 6-5 Murphy (1-47)

Like in the first frame of the day, Murphy's break ends in the late forties. He misses a cut of a red into the bottom-right pocket and is lucky not to leave anything on.

Higgins 6-5 Murphy (1-8*)

Higgins pots the first red but then misses a pretty straight-forward black and Murphy has the chance to make him pay.

Higgins 6-5 Murphy

Higgins was behind or level all the way through the opening session, now he is ahead for the second time this morning.

Higgins 5-5 Murphy (68*-8)

Murphy pots one red but can't sustain a break and now Higgins has forced his way in front again.

Higgins 5-5 Murphy (67-0)

Murphy has the chance to steal a frame now as Higgins misses a trickyish black. That said, he needs blacks with all the reds to force a re-spotted black.

Higgins 5-5 Murphy (46*-0)

Five reds and five blacks...but then Higgins is forced to play for the blue. It looks a fine chance to win the frame in one visit though.

Higgins 5-5 Murphy (8*-0)

Higgins rolls in a long red dead weight. And gets perfectly on a black. He has the chance to dominate a frame now.

Higgins 5-5 Murphy

The break ends at 88. The pattern does seem to be Murphy dominates frames or Higgins steals.

Higgins 5-4 Murphy (1-66*)

The frame is now Murphy's and we are back where we began at the start of the session.

Higgins 5-4 Murphy (1-51*)

Once more Murphy has built a lead, and this time, got over the half-century mark, he will want to make sure he seals the frame now.

Higgins 5-4 Murphy (1-1*)

Murphy cuts a long red home and has a chance to build a lead in the second frame of the session.

Higgins 5-4 Murphy (1-0)

Again a frame starts with Higgins missing a long pot. It is the part of the game he is struggling with at present. But Murphy's safety shot leaves a red over the bottom-left pocket. He is grateful Higgins can't get on a colour.

Higgins 5-4 Murphy

He is such a competitor, Higgins. Again Murphy looked the player in better nick, but the Scot wins the frame.

Higgins 4-4 Murphy (52*-49)

Higgins has finished off the reds and is perfectly on the colours - and set to take the lead.

Higgins 4-4 Murphy (1*-49)

On the brink of his half-century Murphy missed a black off the spot, as he was breaking up the pack. So he has left a nice table for Higgins to make a start on.

Higgins 4-4 Murphy (0-19*)

Murphy leaves himself a brown from the side cushion and then long red rot keep the break going but puts both away with aplomb.

Higgins 4-4 Murphy (0-8*)

Higgins misses an early long red and gives Murphy an easy opening and chance to get his hand on the table.

We are back underway...

Can Higgins find his game this morning?

He made only one half-century in the first session, in the last frame and Murphy will, understandably, feel he should be going into this session in front.