Higgins holds his nerve to come out on top in Glasgow

Published on Monday 20 October 2008 01:22

JOHN Higgins last night won his first ranking title on home soil, holding off a spirited Ryan Day fightback to clinch the Royal London Watches Grand Prix in Glasgow.

Two-time world champion Higgins also equalled the record four Grand Prix titles won by fellow Scot Stephen Hendry with a 9-7 victory at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre.

Higgins, 33, did not have to be at his best against an out-of-sorts Day, who slipped 7-2 behind before finally showing the kind of form that brought him three tons in Saturday's semi-final.

There were no centuries last night, but home favourite Higgins – from nearby Wishaw – knocked in seven 50 breaks to Day's six.

Higgins dedicated his victory to his daughter after previously doing likewise for his two sons.

"It's great," he said. "I'm dedicating it to my girl Claudia. I've always won it for my boys, but that's for Claudia."

Higgins was full of praise for Day's tenacity, adding: "He's definitely the player of the tournament and I was so lucky to be 7-2 in front. I was just scrambling to get over the line. I was feeding off Ryan's misses. I was waiting for the decider, so I'm so glad I won."

Day said: "I'm disappointed with the result but dug in and gave it my best. John deserved it on the day. I could've have been a bit jaded after a late finish on Saturday, but that's no excuse."

Welshman Day, 28, had beaten Higgins at the Shanghai Masters earlier this month, but looked to be feeling the pressure of trying to win his first ranking final at the third attempt. Former world No 1 Higgins was also playing his first final since clinching his second world title last year.

The Scot took a nervy 24-minute opener, and Day's malaise continued when he missed two easy reds in the next frame, Higgins punishing him with an 85 clearance.

A moment of misfortune in frame three worked out for Day when he made a break of 64 after going in off and seeing his opponent miss the resulting long red. A 57 break helped Higgins seal a 3-1 interval lead when Day missed another long pot.

Looking for his 19th title in what was his 31st ranking final, the Scot maintained his greater fluency after the restart with another half-century.

Day had a chance to go into the evening session only a frame behind, but he broke down on 21, and a run of 65 from Higgins was enough to clinch a 5-2 lead.

The last thing Day needed at the resumption last night was bad luck, but another in-off and an outrageous fluked snooker from Higgins beside the blue kick-started a frame-winning 62 break from the Scot.

Trailing 7-2, the Welshman ensured the match would go to the mid-session interval with a 69 break.

Day suffered more outrageous misfortune in the tenth when he cannoned the pink in off a fine plant before Higgins fluked another snooker behind the yellow. But the Scot failed to get over the line and Day pinched it on the black to trail 7-4 at the break.

The Welshman re-emerged with a swagger, pouncing on an early Higgins error with a frame-winning 89.

An increasingly edgy Higgins almost threw away the next with a careless in off, but Day let him off the hook. Knowing his next mistake could be his last, Day then compiled a nerveless 83.

A magnificent deadweight long red set up a 53 break for Higgins in frame 16 and he won some tense exchanges to finally get over the line.