Title-holder John Higgins was dumped out of the UK Championship in York tonight following a comprehensive 9-2 quarter-final defeat to Stephen Lee. The damage was done for the Scot in the opening session when he fell 7-1 behind, and a break of 60 by Lee, his sixth half-century of the contest, put him on the verge of a famous triumph.
Although Higgins stayed alive with his highest contribution of the match, a mere 44, it was all over in the next frame as the impressive 27-year-old knocked in an 87 to reach the last four. Lee, visibly buoyed by his recent LG Cup win in Preston, justified Higgins' pre-match claims that the eighth seed was playing probably as confidently as anyone at the moment.
Higgins, winner of three events already this campaign, was clearly ashamed of his performance and quickly rushed off to return home to Wishaw and see his two-month-old son.
Dublin's Ken Doherty is currently 6-6 at the break in his quarter-final with Matthew Stevens.
Filed by Shane Murray
