John Higgins Dodges Bullet After Near-Miss on Pink — Survives Decider to Reach Players Championship Final
Telford, England — In a heart-stopping semi-final thriller at the 2026 Players Championship, John Higgins pulled off one of the most dramatic escapes of his storied career, surviving a gut-wrenching decider after astonishingly missing an easy match-ball pink in the penultimate frame against Judd Trump.
The veteran Scot had led 5-3 and stood one frame away from booking his place in the final. But with the score poised at 5-4, Higgins lined up what looked like a routine pink to seal victory — only to fluff it completely. The cue ball rolled harmlessly past, leaving Trump alive.
“I was thinking about Mark Williams,” Higgins later admitted. “That’s what Mark done — dolly the winning ball. I was down on the pink and thinking, ‘Just don’t dolly it in.’ Because if Judd comes back and gets a couple of snookers, you’ll be kicking yourself.”
Trump seized the opportunity, compiling a tidy break to level at 5-5 and force a decider — the 11th frame. For a moment, it seemed Higgins’ chance had evaporated. But the 50-year-old maestro regrouped with chilling calm, potting a thin pink off the final red and clearing the colours to win the frame and match 6-5.
“I went into auto-pilot,” Higgins said. “You’re not thinking about missing. If I was left with that same break 5-3 in front, I would’ve probably missed.”
The drama unfolded after a rollercoaster afternoon. Higgins had taken control early, leading 3-0, before Trump mounted a comeback to trail only 3-1. From there, the scores seesawed: Higgins pulled ahead to 5-3, missed the pink, and then Trump forced the decider with a solid break.
“I cannot believe Judd missed,” Higgins quipped, referencing Trump’s own error in the deciding frame — a regulation red that ricocheted, handing Higgins a lifeline.
Trump’s frustration was palpable. “It was tight,” he conceded. “John got lucky on that red — I thought I’d got it. But he’s always tough in these situations.”
Higgins’ survival keeps alive his quest for a second Players Championship crown, first won in 2021. He now faces either Mark Allen or Zhao Xintong in the final, aiming to add a 34th ranking title to his resume.
“Missing that pink? I’m suffering a bit for the yips,” Higgins confessed. “There’s certain shots I don’t feel comfortable playing.” Yet his resilience shone through — turning near-defeat into victory with trademark nerve.
Fans erupted as Higgins celebrated, arms aloft, while Trump shook his head in disbelief. The match epitomized why Higgins remains one of snooker’s greatest: never dead until the black is pocketed.
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