HIGGINS ‘shaken’ BY SPECTATOR’S VERBAL ATTACK

Trump’s attacking exuberance versus the stoicism of Higgins was proving an enthralling battle, but it was the 21-year-old from Bristol who was in charge as Scotland’s three-time champion fed largely on scraps.

Higgins had sufficient chances to remain within touching distance, and Trump’s only regret may be that he did not build up a bigger lead.

But for the 21-year-old to finish level at 4-4 with Higgins had counted as a satisfactory outcome ahead of the evening’s nine frames.

Following a tribute to Ted Lowe, after the commentator’s death yesterday morning, Trump came out to a deafening roar, befitting his status as snooker’s new superstar.

Trump’s first-round win over last year’s champion Neil Robertson from Australia was a stunning opening performance, but even then few other than the hyper-confident Trump himself expected to see him reach the final.

Yet victories over Martin Gould, 2006 champion Graeme Dott and reigning Masters champion Ding Junhui followed for the youngster from Bristol, earning him a shot at glory.

It is only seven weeks since Trump won a qualifying-round match against David Gilbert to reach the Crucible, and four weeks since he won his maiden ranking title at the China Open.

Higgins headed into the final on the back of an uncomfortable ending to his semi-final win over Mark Williams when a spectator stood up in the 28th frame and, before being ejected, heckled Higgins over his ban last year for six months after admitting to breaching rules around betting.

Thankfull there was no repeat of the episode yesterday.

Trump had claimed he feels “invincible” during his run to the final at Sheffield and that sense would have been accentuated when he took two scrappy frames, helped by breaks of 46 and 42, to edge 2-0 ahead against three-time world champion Higgins.

But the 35-year-old Scot hit back, coming from 38-13 behind to take the third frame and 54-0 down to pinch the next, before runs of 51 and 64 nudged him ahead for the first time.

Higgins was pegged back to 3-3 by a 102 break by Trump, who attempted a 147 in the next frame but failed to put away the ninth red.

That gave Higgins a chance in a frame which had looked almost lost, and runs of 42 and 27 saw him go in front once more.

Trump reached 47 for a 49-8 lead in the final frame of the session when he ran fractionally out of position on the next red.

He played what seemed a good safety, only for Higgins to make an exceptional pot.

The Scot was unable to make a frame-winning contribution though.

After a safety exchange Higgins had another opportunity, but he already needed one snooker and when he missed black off the final red he was left with too much ground to make up and conceded.

And so the pair were locked at 4-4 at the end of the afternoon session, the highlight of which was provided by Trump’s 102 break in the sixth frame.

Trump then dropped 5-4 behind after the opening frame of the evening session when Higgins had a break of 60.

But he had breaks of 55 and 58 to lead 6-5 and turned on the style in frame 12, playing a run of exhibition shots on his way to a break of 101 and a two-frame lead, finishing with an immense black played at high speed from close to the top cushion near the yellow pocket.

Higgins came back to 7-6, and levelled after a scrappy frame.

Trump had a 49 break to lead 49-18 at 7-7, and although he broke down there, a further run of 28 made the frame safe for him.

A touch of controversy came at the end of the 16th frame, when Higgins conceded when 51 behind with 51 remaining on the table.

That is against the usual etiquette, but it suited Trump as he gained a two-frame lead and then took the last frame of the day to compound his advantage.

Tributes to ‘Whispering Ted’ Lowe: Main paper, Page 7.