Sunday supremacy swung it for Higgins

John Higgins admitted that Sunday evening’s session made all the difference in his snooker world championship final win.

The Scot sealed his third world crown at The Crucible on Monday, winning 18-9 overall, but the 11-5 lead he secured by winning seven of the eight frames 24 hours earlier was the most telling factor in the view of the Scot, and indeed everyone else.

Murphy could never get back close to the ‘Wizard of Wishaw’ on Monday, losing five of the first session's frames and then winning just one in the evening as Higgins took less than an hour to seal his win upon the resumption.

"I am over the moon. I don't know what to say. It's brilliant,” Higgins, also the champion in 1998 and 2007, told the BBC.

"The second session made the difference. Shaun missed a couple he wouldn't normally miss.

"I got a good run of the balls in the second session and that is what swung it my way.

"If I've won two out of the last three there is no reason why I can't go on and win some more."

A match that was 5-5 after ten frames saw Murphy win just four of the remaining 17 on Sunday and Monday, but he was not bitter, paying tribute to his conqueror who he declared was a worthy winner.

 "I thought the match was good until we got to 5-5. That second session is where it went wrong for me,” said the 2005 champion.

"All credit to John, he is the best tactical player I have ever seen."