Players Championship Snooker recap - Judd Trump battles past John Higgins in tense semi-final in Telford
By Desmond Kane
Updated 22/03/2025 at 23:26 GMT
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The second semi-final of the Players Championship saw John Higgins take on world No. 1 Judd Trump on Saturday, as the latter took his chance to secure a place against Kyren Wilson in the final at the Telford International Centre on Sunday. Watch and stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+
Trump 'nearly puts shoulder out' playing 'vicious' shot to get on red
Video credit: TNT Sports
RESULT: HIGGINS 4-6 TRUMP
World No. 1 Judd Trump will face world champion Kyren Wilson in the Players Championship final after Trump battled past a dogged John Higgins 6-4 in the semi-finals.
Trump began the night in breathtaking style before a sell-out crowd in Telford as runs of 130 and 126 saw him ease 3-1 clear, but four-time world champion Higgins found some solid form of his own to level at 4-4 from 4-2 behind with runs of 107 and 54.
The Scotsman looked good to move one up with two to play, but broke down among the balls leading 48-6 as a clinical run of 61 from Trump helped him regain his lead at 5-4.
A long early red saw Trump run in 53 in the 10th frame before another excellent pot on a red to a yellow pocket helped him finally seal the victory.
Higgins will rue failing to take the opportunities which came his way, but will be heartened by another decent performance at a ranking event following his victory at the World Open in Yushan earlier this month and a run to the World Grand Prix quarter-finals in Hong Kong.
"You have to rely on your technique and your practice," said Trump, who has now won his past 12 matches in ranking events against Higgins.
"I have to practice every day, even if it is only for two hours, and I think that helps in pressure situations.
"It is a different kettle of fish when you've got someone like John Higgins coming back at you from 4-2 down, and you've been frozen out for 30 minutes."
"To have someone like Kyren pushing me, is great for snooker," he added ahead of their third meeting in a final this season.
Higgins said: "He played great. I should take the positives from it. I should have gone 5-4 up, but full credit to Judd.
"There are a few things I have to work on. I'll not get too negative."
HIGGINS 4-5 TRUMP (0-76)
Higgins misses a red to yellow pocket, but Trump doesn't and surely that is a frame and match-winner.
HIGGINS 4-5 TRUMP (0-53)
Trump with 53 then before he tries to open reds off black. Nothing available. So just the safety shot to follow. A good lead, but table is wide open if Higgins can get a chance.
HIGGINS 4-5 TRUMP (0-39)
Looks like a very decent chance here for Trump to get over the line to secure a final meeting with Kyren Wilson on Sunday. Higgins can't say he hasn't had chances tonight. Taking them is another matter.
HIGGINS 4-5 TRUMP (0-24)
But will he get the chance? Trump with a fine long red off the break. Holds for black and this is a chance to get frame and match won here and now you would suggest.
HIGGINS 4-5 TRUMP (0-0)
61 break from Judd in that ninth frame. John will have to go again here.
HIGGINS 4-4 TRUMP (48-73)
All square then before Judd slots blue to move five clear on colours. Slots yellow and brings out green. And he powers in green. Fabulous pot. In goes brown. But not ideally on blue. In goes blue from close range to yellow bag. And Higgins will need a snooker. The Scotsman misses a trick in that frame. Trump with a 5-4 lead now.
HIGGINS 4-4 TRUMP (48-47)
Lead down to one point heading for final red. Frame still well in balance with green on a side rail in baulk.
HIGGINS 4-4 TRUMP (48-25)
Great shot by Trump off yellow to open up reds. Higgins has to digest what that miss might cost him. Out of his hands now.
HIGGINS 4-4 TRUMP (48-7)
Gets too much fizz on a red. Overcooks white for blue, but yellow is a good ball. Leaves himself a tricky mid-range red. And he misses it by some margin. Trump returns to table.
HIGGINS 4-4 TRUMP (37-6)
Higgins getting the white back up table for blue rather than hang about the black spot. Making life a bit easier for himself and his cue action.
HIGGINS 4-4 TRUMP (31-6)
Higgins potting has been excellent since the interval. Positional sense not as good, but he has scrapped brilliantly.
HIGGINS 4-4 TRUMP (16-6)
Judd not looking overly assured in some shot selections, but no damage done as he escapes from a snooker down left side of table. This match right on the edge here. And Higgins manages to dead ball a red in along top cushion. Followed by black. So suddenly John has first prod at these balls.
HIGGINS 4-4 TRUMP (3-6)
Another excellent long red by John before dropping in yellow, but next red is nowhere to be seen. And safety is order of the day
HIGGINS 4-4 TRUMP (0-6)
John has a poke at a long red. Wasn't easy, and well off it. Judd responds by carting in a cutback red followed by blue to right centre.
HIGGINS 3-4 TRUMP (69-36)
Trump leaves the blue and Higgins slots blue and pink to level this semi-final at 4-4. Cannot fault John Higgins for his attitude or fighting quality.
HIGGINS 3-4 TRUMP (58-36)
Trump slots green and brown. Tries to get behind pink with white, but not there. A lead of 22 with only 18 left up.
HIGGINS 3-4 TRUMP (58-36)
Judd leaving John in a snooker behind brown, but was a fine escape from Higgins and he gets the snooker back. Judd escapes but leaves the green. Higgins sees it stick in jaws of green bag. On we go then.
HIGGINS 3-4 TRUMP (58-29)
In goes red and pink from John to move 27 ahead with 27 left up. Still chance of a re-rack in this frame. Judd leaves yellow to green pocket. And in goes the yellow from John. Higgins scrapping his way to snookers required.
HIGGINS 3-4 TRUMP (49-29)
Tension perhaps telling as Judd misses black off spot on 29. Just the safety from John to follow. Judd sizing up long red trying to glance it off black, but nothing doing. Chance for Higgins then, but not nicely on final red off brown.
HIGGINS 3-4 TRUMP (44-20)
Higgins drops in a long red, but can't sink pink to right centre. Pressure seemed to be all on Higgins there. What is Judd going to produce.
HIGGINS 3-4 TRUMP (43-0)
Higgins just losing the white at key times in these breaks tonight. Very frustrating after sliding in blue to left middle. But a quite majestic recovery pot on a red to green pocket. But quickly out of ideal position again on 43. A real struggle this break. John takes his medicine and plays safe by knocking yellow onto a side rail.
HIGGINS 3-4 TRUMP (23-0)
John with another fabulous long red, and in goes the pink to right middle to follow. Really was a corking opening red, and deserved to be on the pink. Chance then for John to build a lead in frame he needs to level us up. Higgins completely transformed from the first four frames.
HIGGINS 3-4 TRUMP (0-0)
No early red from Trump from distance, but no damage done. Just the safety to follow. An early joust from deep to see who gets first scoring chance.
HIGGINS 3-4 TRUMP (0-0)
Higgins has joined the party from 3-1 behind. Looks like he fancies the job out there after struggling before the mid-session.
HIGGINS 2-4 TRUMP (76-0)
What a brilliant long red by John. Potted himself right out of a tight hole there. Chance then to get his third frame of the night wrapped up here. But short of pace with the rest potting red. Frame still a live issue. Higgins knocks in blue to green bag. And an excellent pot on a red to a top bag. Very positive from John.
HIGGINS 2-4 TRUMP (54-0)
This is a what you expect from John Higgins. Showing what a quality player he is when the chips are down. Could easily be another one-visit response from John until he loses the white on 54. Head is bowed. Looks like the safety to follow. And it is a good one too. Trump with a fine safety shot of his own. This frame taking on added significance.
HIGGINS 2-4 TRUMP (16-0)
Stunning long red by John as tries to roar back right away here. Higgins warming to the task himself. Still well in the mixer. Golden chance to build a decent lead.
HIGGINS 2-3 TRUMP (0-88)
Judd chasing a 92nd century of season, but short of pace from black to red. No matter. In goes double on red to continue break. But he finally misses a tough red on 88. That was some break. A 4-2 lead.
HIGGINS 2-3 TRUMP (0-67)
White ball is covering some ground in this break, but Judd refusing to leave the table. Recovery pots are something special. And in goes red he needs to leave John needing a snooker.
HIGGINS 2-3 TRUMP (0-54)
Judd wasting little or no time in getting the black involved in play at the scoring end. Reds suddenly all in the open here, and this looks like it could quickly be 4-2 to the Juddernaut. Just nudges in a tough cutback red to a top bag. But blue to right centre is downed.
HIGGINS 2-3 TRUMP (0-15)
Higgins almost flukes a red to right centre in escaping from a snooker, but unfortunate to leave red over a middle pocket too. First chance then falls to Judd.
HIGGINS 1-3 TRUMP (107-0)
107 from Higgins. A big one-visit hit from John and he trails 3-2 in the race to six. Back in the hunt.
HIGGINS 1-3 TRUMP (83-0)
In goes the red he needs to seal this frame, and this is the ideal response from Higgins. Could be a century too from John. Much more like himself. Reminding Judd that there are two players involved in this semi-final.
HIGGINS 1-3 TRUMP (61-0)
Excellent red to left centre by John to keep break going. This is much more like it from him.
HIGGINS 1-3 TRUMP (53-0)
Higgins looking to make some decent progress early on here. Vital that he starts scoring. 37 is already his highest break of the match. Would love to take this frame out in one hit. Brilliant piece of cueing on black from a side rail. Will do his confidence no harm at all.
HIGGINS 1-3 TRUMP (7-0)
Players return for the second half of this match. Difficult to see how Higgins can win this match unless he discovers some of the old magic in his locker. Another early chance presents itself to John as Judd fails to can a long red. An early in then for the four-time world champion.
HIGGINS 1-2 TRUMP (0-126)
126 from Trump to finish off the fourth frame in some style. He leads 3-1 in race to six. Higgins struggling to keep up out there.
HIGGINS 1-2 TRUMP (0-106)
In goes the black for the second century of the evening. Higgins being heavily punished for missing balls. As he would expect to be.
HIGGINS 1-2 TRUMP (0-75)
Chance of another century is also coming up here as break reaches 75. Would be his 91st of the campaign.
HIGGINS 1-2 TRUMP (0-57)
Screws white into reds off black and the pack is nicely opened up too. Looks like 3-1 to Trump on cards.
HIGGINS 1-2 TRUMP (0-41)
Judd looking to express himself as much as possible in this match. Black is suddenly in play too, and this looks a tad ominous for John.
HIGGINS 1-2 TRUMP (0-14)
Chance for Higgins early in the fourth frame, but he can't clip in red to left centre. That is a disappointing outcome and he knows it. Trump tends to feed off such unforced errors. Judd looking to build up a decent lead here.
HIGGINS 1-1 TRUMP (35-71)
A 43 break to take out the third frame as Higgins pays a heavy penalty for missing with the rest. One more frame to come before the mid-session break.
HIGGINS 1-1 TRUMP (35-37)
A real scrap out there at the moment, and at least John is involved in the combat. But Higgins misses red using rest. How costly is that going to be? Trump with a red and yellow combo, but clatters green. Then slides in a superb mid-range red to continue his visit. Chance then to move 2-1 ahead.
HIGGINS 1-1 TRUMP (21-28)
Higgins responds with 21 before a mid-range red eludes him. Was far from easy, but didn't really trouble the pocket before Judd misses a thin cut on a red using the rest.
HIGGINS 1-1 TRUMP (7-28)
Judd quickly eases himself to 27, but he loses the white off a mid-range red. Not on pink or blue. Studying the yellow before he returns to the pink with rest, but dribbles it over a top pocket and doesn't drop. Reprieve for John as he clips in a red to left centre.
HIGGINS 1-1 TRUMP (0-9)
Judd picks out a fine red across table, but can't get tight behind green. Higgins then leaves a red over a top pocket. And Judd swerves it home. What can he make at this visit?
HIGGINS 1-1 TRUMP (0-0)
John won't be concerned about slowing matters down out there. No added value in winning frames quicker.
HIGGINS 0-1 TRUMP (72-40)
Higgins can't slot a longish yellow and another chance for Trump, but he connects with the pink hitting yellow. John then ends up snookering Judd behind pink. Frame running for 30 minutes as John finally takes out the yellow. And Judd has seen enough after Higgins lays another snooker. All square in Telford.
HIGGINS 0-1 TRUMP (70-40)
Judd battling on for the two snookers he needs in this second frame. Certainly not giving up ghost on the colours here. And gets one back as Higgins can't hit yellow off two cushions. Still requires another.
HIGGINS 0-1 TRUMP (70-6)
Brilliant pot by John to pick out a plant on reds, and that should be enough to level up this contest at 1-1. Very impressive response from Higgins. But he then knocks in the white after slotting pink to bring Judd back to the table. 56 the difference, 51 left up.
HIGGINS 0-1 TRUMP (61-0)
John loses the white trying to drop on black from red to left centre. Just the safety to follow. A decent lead though in this second frame.
HIGGINS 0-1 TRUMP (60-0)
Into the pack of reds off black. Not the greatest of splits. But a lovely recovery pot on red to left middle, and is ideal on pink. Could be 1-1 incoming here. John all business out there.
HIGGINS 0-1 TRUMP (37-0)
Error from Judd in escaping from a snooker. Sticks up an easy red for John, who will look to make further progress at this visit.
HIGGINS 0-1 TRUMP (29-0)
John trying to gain a foothold in this semi-final as he screws white down from the brown. Tries to release black off a red, but nothing doing. Safety to follow.
HIGGINS 0-1 TRUMP (24-0)
Trump with a few misses here early in the second frame, and he is going to get the three-miss warning from referee Rob Spencer. Has a crack at a long red, and nowhere near it. Chance for John to take on a mid-range red. Which he drains with some aplomb.
HIGGINS 0-0 TRUMP (0-130)
A supreme break of 130 from the world No. 1. That is what you call laying down an early marker. In case Higgins wasn't already aware of the challenge facing him.
HIGGINS 0-0 TRUMP (0-103)
In goes the black with one red left up and he moves to within 10 centuries of the 100-mark and that £100,000 bonus for the campaign.
HIGGINS 0-0 TRUMP (0-87)
Could be a 90th century of the season coming up.
HIGGINS 0-0 TRUMP (0-81)
This really is quite the start from Judd as he finally attacks reds on 64 and out pops one to the left centre. Picking up from where he left off against Murphy. Eight minutes gone, and it is a 1-0 lead for the 2019 world champion.
HIGGINS 0-0 TRUMP (0-50)
All about the split on reds to get frame won in one hit, but certainly looks to be hitting the white ball well in this break. Very accomplished start to the evening.
HIGGINS 0-0 TRUMP (0-20)
Trump winning eight of his 12 frames in single visits so far this week. Fair to say, he is a hot favourite tonight. 1/3 the odds for a Judd victory.
HIGGINS 0-0 TRUMP (0-6)
First frame of a possible 11 this evening as Trump breaks off. Full house inside the Telford International Centre. Trump with a superb opening long red straight off the bat. Start as you mean to go on.
WATCH: HIGGINS SUFFERS AGONY AT UK CHAMPIONSHIP
John Higgins got first chance against Trump in the deciding frame of their last-16 match at the UK Championship in November, but could only make 34 as Judd cleared up with a brilliant 106 to complete a 6-5 victory on his way to the title.
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‘Finishing in style’ - Trump wraps up win over Higgins with century break
Video credit: TNT Sports
SEVEN AND (MORE) HELL FOR HIGGINS TONIGHT?
John Higgins defeated Judd Trump 6-4 in their first meeting in the semi-finals of the 2008 Grand Prix in Glasgow, but the man dubbed the 'Wizard of Wishaw' has endured a curiously barren record in recent meetings. Indeed, Higgins goes into the Players Championship semi-finals in Telford on Saturday night without a win over the world No. 1 in a ranking event in 11 matches, spanning seven years.
Read more here:
TRUMP V HIGGINS: LIVE
A place against Kyren Wilson in the final is up for grabs as John Higgins faces Judd Trump, and you can follow the action right here with our live updates. First to six frames books a spot in the final against world champion Kyren Wilson on Sunday with a £150,000 first prize on the table for the winner.
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Watch and stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+
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