Masters 2026 snooker final recap – Kyren Wilson defeats misfiring John Higgins to claim £350,000 first prize at Alexandra Palace

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Kyren Wilson completes a 10-6 win over a struggling John Higgins to win the 52nd Masters. Wilson was chasing a first Masters crown with Higgins aiming to become a three-time winner. Higgins fought back from 3-1 down to level at 3-3, but runs of 103 and 111 helped Wilson regain a two-frame lead. And he punished a struggling Higgins in the evening session to secure the £350,000 first prize.

Higgins prevails in the ‘most dramatic frame’ of Masters 2026

Video credit: TNT Sports

Kyren Wilson punished a faltering John Higgins to claim the Masters title with a 10-6 victory at Alexandra Palace in London.

At 50, the Scotsman was aiming to become the oldest winner of the sport's greatest invitational event, but failed to replicate the form that saw him defeat world champion Zhao Xintong (6-5) and world No. 1 Judd Trump (6-5) in the previous two rounds.

2024 world champion Kyren Wilson was not at his best, but did enough to secure his first Masters title as he produced breaks of 103 and 111 to move 5-3 clear after the afternoon session.

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And despite producing a highest break in the second session of 78 in the 14th frame, he always looked the likelier winner with Higgins squandering numerous chances to score.

For Wilson, it was third time lucky after losing the 2018 final to Mark Allen and last year to Shaun Murphy, both by 10-7 scorelines.

Meanwhile, Higgins will be left to rue a missed opportunity to win a third Masters title after describing his display as "useless".

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'I am trying' - Wilson responds to heckler

Video credit: TNT Sports

Kyren Wilson: "It was just an absolute dogfight and I tried to be as dogged as John has been over the years. I'm glad he's managed to give me one for a change.

"I never make it easy for myself, I always seem to do it the hard way. I don't know why, it frustrates the hell out of me.

"But I will always give it my all. Even if I'm struggling, I will fight until the end until I finally get my hands on some silverware."

John Higgins: "I was just useless. But taking no credit away from Kyren, who was by far the better player. He was totally dominant today at 10-6.

"It's disappointing because the last two finals I've played in I've gone out like a light.

"It's been a good week and I've enjoyed it. Just disappointed with the way I performed in the final.

"But listen tonight is Kyren's night so congratulations to him. He's a great champion."

RESULT: HIGGINS 6-10 WILSON

"I was useless," said Higgins. "Can't take away from Kyren. He deserved it, but I'm really disappointed with my performance."

HIGGINS 6-9 WILSON (12-68)

Long red seals the deal for Wilson. In goes green to right centre. Higgins offers the handshake. And it is a 10-6 win for Wilson in the final.

HIGGINS 6-9 WILSON (12-51)

Wilson up and down table off blue to land on red. Just needing a red and black to see this away.

HIGGINS 6-9 WILSON (12-45)

Another poor shot by John off the safety and Kyren bangs home the long red. That might be the match-winner.

HIGGINS 6-9 WILSON (12-44)

Wilson carts home a double on a red followed by brown. And down then for the black too. White races into the pack. Wilson with a fine recovery pot on red to right centre. But just safety to follow off pink.

HIGGINS 6-9 WILSON (12-30)

Wilson tries to open up the pack of reds off black, but doesn't land on a red. So just the safety to follow.

HIGGINS 6-9 WILSON (12-14)

Decent chance, but 12 is not great as a long red doesn't drop. Wilson then can't see a red away to yellow bag. And Higgins then jaws a long red. Story of the final right there.

HIGGINS 6-9 WILSON (12-0)

John drops in a fine cut on a red before drilling home green. Well now. What can he make here?

HIGGINS 6-9 WILSON (0-0)

John to break off then for frame 16 in this final. Kyren goes for a long red, but doesn't drop.

HIGGINS 5-9 WILSON (70-17)

A fine response from Higgins under the pump. Looks like he is going to claw his way back to 9-6. Higgins trying to find the form that has brought him four world titles. A 70 break from the Scot.

HIGGINS 5-9 WILSON (43-17)

Would dearly love to win this frame at one go. Needs a one-visit hit here. Striking the white ball with real authority.

HIGGINS 5-9 WILSON (28-17)

John looking to weigh in with a big effort here. No room for error.

HIGGINS 5-9 WILSON (7-17)

But Kyren misses black off the spot among the balls. Well, didn't see that coming. Can Higgins steel himself here?

HIGGINS 5-9 WILSON (0-8)

Higgins potting in the last-chance saloon now. John goes for a long red. But nowhere near it. Looks like the effort of a man who is resigned to defeat. Kyren cracks open the pack and looks to get the job finished off here and now.

HIGGINS 5-8 WILSON (7-78)

Red to right middle doesn't drop, but 78 is just the job for Kyren. One more frame to finish off the job.

'I can’t believe what I am seeing!’ – Wilson questioned after ‘monumental’ decision

Video credit: TNT Sports

HIGGINS 5-8 WILSON (7-70)

Wilson powers in a red before black off spot just drops. Higgins left to reflect on what might have been in this final.

HIGGINS 5-8 WILSON (7-45)

Kyren moving one frame away from victory here, you suspect with Higgins falling away badly tonight. Looks like this is a done deal.

HIGGINS 5-8 WILSON (7-6)

Higgins looking a bit annoyed with performance in this final. Just going off the boil at the wrong time. Starting to hit at balls rather than stroke them in.

HIGGINS 5-7 WILSON (40-52)

Kyren slots the red after a poor safety by John. But ends up screwing the white into the left centre pocket. Higgins almost freeing up the brown, but gets the double kiss. Back to safety on this brown. Kyren leaves a snooker and Higgins ends up sticking up the brown. Could be frame over. In goes brown, blue and pink. Wilson leads 8-5. Higgins looks to be wilting at the key moment.

HIGGINS 5-7 WILSON (31-37)

Kyren drawing level on points in the frame as blue is downed. Tries to release red on top cushion, but can't get the red out and almost goes in off. Just safety to follow. Finding distance between white and red.

HIGGINS 5-7 WILSON (31-25)

John then missing a straight pink. Far too many elementary errors being made the Scotsman out there. Wilson with a fine cut on a red to right centre and he puts away a recovery pot on a long red. But not on red off yellow. Safety to follow.

HIGGINS 5-7 WILSON (30-15)

A reprieve for Higgins as Kyren attacks the pack off blue and ends up producing a plant on reds. So unfortunate. Wilson with a long red seconds later, but he misses a tough brown to right middle. Was that the correct shot? Higgins back at table then.

HIGGINS 5-7 WILSON (18-7)

John straight into the pack of reds off the blue. Holds the white nicely for the next red. Not the worst of positions to be left. But he then misses a red to left centre. Bad error.

HIGGINS 5-7 WILSON (12-0)

Wilson breaks off then for frame 13 off possible 19. What has Higgins got left in the tank? And he drops in a stunning long red.

WATCH: HIGGINS WINS EPIC FRAME IN FINAL

Higgins prevails in the ‘most dramatic frame’ of Masters 2026

Video credit: TNT Sports

HIGGINS 5-6 WILSON (15-67)

And the answer is yes as Kyren reaches 49. Higgins has seen enough. Neither player has found top form. But Kyren with a 7-5 lead at the break. Higgins can't believe that blunder.

HIGGINS 5-6 WILSON (15-47)

Wilson inching towards this frame. Nothing spectacular, but such a bad miss on black by Higgins. Will it cost him the frame?

HIGGINS 5-6 WILSON (15-31)

Higgins forced to sit in his chair and stew. Can't really afford to be missing those chances at close range. Was a huge opportunity.

HIGGINS 5-6 WILSON (15-19)

John misses a black off spot to halt his progress. Bad miss by Higgins and he knows it too.

HIGGINS 5-6 WILSON (7-18)

Well, only 18 from that visit as red to left middle doesn't drop. Another chance comes and goes. And John then drops in a fine pot on a red from distance. Out nicely for the blue too. Now then. What is he going to make here.

HIGGINS 5-6 WILSON (0-11)

Kyren with plenty of reds to attack at this visit. Should be able to build a healthy lead you would suspect.

HIGGINS 5-6 WILSON (0-3)

Poor safety shot by John in failing to get the white back to baulk. Leaves a long red for Kyren and he powers it home.

Wilson produces ‘hard to describe’ miscue in Masters final against Higgins

Video credit: TNT Sports

HIGGINS 4-6 WILSON (73-56)

Tense bout of safety in progress. Wilson with an error on the pink. White goes in off. Chance for Higgins to get the frame won now. In goes frame-ball pink to the green bag. And John is back to 6-5 behind. Ally Pally full of roars. One more frame to come before the mid-sesh. Wow! Big frame there.

HIGGINS 4-6 WILSON (61-56)

Higgins tries a tricky long cut on pink, but overcuts it and ends up getting second prize with the safety. And another fine effort from Higgins to get the pink safe in baulk.

HIGGINS 4-6 WILSON (61-56)

But Kyren then misses pink off the spot. That is remarkable. Wilson gets cover on pink via black and Higgins is then short of pace on the pink. Wow! Scenes at the Ally Pally. White goes back. Higgins with another go. And this time he escapes.

HIGGINS 4-6 WILSON (61-41)

And Higgins hits the blue. Which means Kyren can win the frame by clearing up. Astonising frame to lose for Higgins.

HIGGINS 4-6 WILSON (61-31)

Another attempt at yellow from John. Another failed attempt. And he is back in another snooker here. Higgins has had so many gos at this yellow.

HIGGINS 4-6 WILSON (61-31)

Higgins almost seeing the white drop down the right centre bag after failing to sink yellow and Kyren then sticks John in a snooker behind black. Remarkable that John hasn't won this frame. That missed black...but a superb escape from Higgins off two cushions.

HIGGINS 4-6 WILSON (61-31)

John with another dart at a long red. Which doesn't make its way home. And again sees a red stick in the yellow pocket. Kyren slotting red and black. So will play for this snooker on colours.

HIGGINS 4-6 WILSON (61-23)

Higgins again missing chance to finalise this frame as a long red refuses to drop. Not what John is looking for out there.

HIGGINS 4-6 WILSON (61-23)

The break moves to 53 from John. On cusp of trailing 6-5 in this final. In goes frame-ball red and on goes John. Misses the black on 61. 46 the lead with 43 remaining. Kyren will play on for this snooker.

HIGGINS 4-6 WILSON (31-15)

Higgins into the lead in the frame, but he is struggling to keep control of this white ball. Very hard going out there at the moment. But in goes red to right centre. On the yellow nicely and he pops opens the pack of reds. What a chance now to get back to within one frame.

HIGGINS 4-6 WILSON (0-15)

Wilson picks out an excellent plant on two reds from distance. But he then misses a high black off the spot. All getting very nervy out there.

HIGGINS 4-6 WILSON (0-9)

John not far away from a long red. But not far away isn't good enough. Sticks up an easy starter for his opponent. Kyren makes 14, but nothing more coming off it.

HIGGINS 4-6 WILSON (0-0)

Higgins needs to find a different gear in this final if he is going to win it. Hasn't been good enough so far in this company.

HIGGINS 4-5 WILSON (36-81)

A golden chance for Higgins not taken it must be said. Still two frames behind. Cameo break of 33 from Wilson to finish. A 6-4 lead.

HIGGINS 4-5 WILSON (36-61)

John failing to land on a red near the black. So that will be break over. But Higgins goes for the double, and doesn't make it. Sticks red up. Should also cost him frame now.

HIGGINS 4-5 WILSON (29-48)

All about angles now for John, and trying to keep that white ball under lock and key. Which is easier said than done of course.

HIGGINS 4-5 WILSON (8-48)

Well, would you believe that. A miscue on 23 trying to nudge a red into left centre. Huge chance now for Higgins. But he loses the white trying to land on pink. A superb recovery pot on the pink bridging over the red to left centre.

HIGGINS 4-5 WILSON (0-35)

Wilson straight into the pack off the blue and out come the reds. Golden chance to move 6-4 clear. John with that big miss on the long red.

HIGGINS 4-5 WILSON (0-29)

Safety error by Wilson to stick up a red, but Higgins fails to cash in by missing long red deep in baulk. Missed chance, it must be said. And Kyren then drops in a red down a side rail.

HIGGINS 4-5 WILSON (0-7)

Kyren with first prod at these balls in the 10th frame of a possible 19. Rattles the pack, but loses the white and almost goes in off. Just a safety to follow.

HIGGINS 3-5 WILSON (75-22)

Break moves to 69 on the colours before the yellow is canned too. 71 from John. Fighting the good fight. 5-4 now.

HIGGINS 3-5 WILSON (66-22)

Drops the blue in off the side cushion and back on the next red to right middle. And in goes the key red. Followed by blue. John closing to 5-4 behind.

HIGGINS 3-5 WILSON (53-22)

This is look very promising for John now. Kyren had three chances in this frame. Not doing enough with them, and suddenly Higgins is right in the box seat out there.

HIGGINS 3-5 WILSON (21-22)

Big visit in progress from John. Vital that he pieces some points together here. Has to start scoring in this final.

HIGGINS 3-5 WILSON (4-22)

Wilson goes for a long red full throttle, but rattles the jaws. Went all out for it. Chance for John then. But he misses the red using the rest. Another chance for Kyren. But he ends up going in off to the left middle off green.

HIGGINS 3-5 WILSON (0-21)

Poor safety by John and Kyren bangs in a long red with his second visit of the night. Higgins desperately seeking a scoring chance. Nothing easy to go at. And Wilson then leaves his opponent tight behind yellow after failing to sink a plant on reds. But a brilliant escape by Higgins to escape and get the white safe.

HIGGINS 3-5 WILSON (0-18)

Off we go then for four more frames before the mid-session interval. Higgins coming out to 'I am the Resurrection' by the Stone Roses. Wilson with a fine cut on a red using the rest to give himself access to the table. Super pot. Wilson up to 221 points without reply after the final two frames of the first session.

FIRST SESSION REPORT: WILSON 5-3 HIGGINS

Kyren Wilson threw two big punches at the end of the Masters final afternoon session to lead the tie 5-3 and restore the two-frame lead he built earlier on.

Higgins took the early advantage with a break of 58, before sealing another half-century break, but it did not win him the frame. Wilson levelled with his own break of 58 and then moved ahead, before another 50+ break for Higgins went to waste, as The Warrior moved two frames clear.

During a frustrating period in the match, which included a 40-minute frame, Higgins clawed his way back in contention.

But 2024 world champion Wilson fired back with back-to-back centuries (103 and 111) to restore his breathing space ahead of the evening session, live on TNT Sports and discovery+ from 18:45 UK time.

Watch Wilson’s superb red in frame five against Higgins

Video credit: TNT Sports

HOW TRUMP PREDICTED HIGGINS RESURGENCE

Judd Trump has won one world title in his golden career, but has been denied greater riches in the sport by a 'Class of '92' whose desire to compete for the sport's greatest prizes shows no sign of diminishing at the age of 50. The world No. 1 led John Higgins 3-0 and 5-3 in an epic semi-final on Saturday, but saw the Scotsman fight back to complete a rousing 6-5 win at a packed Alexandra Palace.