John Higgins settles Tour Championship line-up as latest draw throws up possible revenge clashes
Published 19/03/2025 at 19:42 GMT
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The 12-player Tour Championship could produce four rematches from the Players Championship with defending champion Mark Williams set to begin his title defence against Ding Junhui just days after a 6-2 win over the former UK holder, Mark Selby in line to take on Si Jiahui and Shaun Murphy facing the prospect of another joust with Barry Hawkins at the penultimate ranking event of the season.
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Video credit: TNT Sports
The 12-player line-up for the prestigious £500,000 Tour Championship – the last ranking event of the 2024/25 season before the World Championship – was settled in dramatic circumstances on Wednesday afternoon.
World Open champion John Higgins' 6-5 win over Chris Wakelin from 3-1 down on the final pink ended former Shoot Out winner Wakelin's hopes of muscling in on the elite tournament via the sport's one-year ranking list.
Stuart Bingham, Wakelin and Lei Peifan all began the week in Telford with an opportunity to qualify for the Tour Championship, but key defeats – Bingham 6-4 to Neil Robertson and Lei Peifan's 6-2 loss to world No. 1 Trump – in the first round have finalised matters for Manchester.
Despite being edged out 6-5 by compatriot Xiao Guodong in the last 16 on Wednesday amid two fine centuries, Wu Yize has claimed the 12th and final spot at Manchester Central, March 31 – April 6.
Trump, Kyren Wilson and Neil Robertson will occupy the top three spots at the Tour Championship with Higgins in the frame to go into the event as fourth seed.
That would see the quartet avoid playing an extra match with Xiao, Mark Selby, defending champion Mark Williams and Masters champion Shaun Murphy occupying the seeded spots from five to eight.
Ahead of the quarter-finals of the Players Championship, that would leave Xiao facing a potential rematch with Wu in the first round, Selby taking on Si Jiahui, Williams meeting Ding Junhui and Murphy taking on Barry Hawkins.
Of course, much could change over the next few days with the winner of the Players Championship claiming a £150,000 first prize, but the first round throws up the prospects of a slew of rapid revenge matches.
Apart from Xiao v Wu, Selby defeated Si 6-3 in the first round of the Players Championship, Williams dumped out Ding 6-2 and Murphy overcame Hawkins 6-4 in Telford.
Indeed, Murphy and Hawkins also met at the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong earlier this month, with Murphy emerging a 4-1 winner in the last 16 after Hawkins ran out a 6-2 victor in the last eight of the UK Championship in November.
All matches at the Tour Championship are the best-of-19 frames encounters and act as perfect preparation for the lengthy challenge of the World Championship in Sheffield, April 19 - May 5.
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2025 Tour Championship final qualifiers
1. Judd Trump £1,013,200
2. Kyren Wilson £561,800
3. Neil Robertson £427,050
4. John Higgins £353,750
5. Xiao Guodong £326,500
6. Mark Selby £305,000
7. Mark Williams £285,600
8. Shaun Murphy £277,900
9. Barry Hawkins £276,550
10. Ding Junhui £250,000
11. Si Jiahui £234,200
12. Wu Yize £220,600
2. Kyren Wilson £561,800
3. Neil Robertson £427,050
4. John Higgins £353,750
5. Xiao Guodong £326,500
6. Mark Selby £305,000
7. Mark Williams £285,600
8. Shaun Murphy £277,900
9. Barry Hawkins £276,550
10. Ding Junhui £250,000
11. Si Jiahui £234,200
12. Wu Yize £220,600
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