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John Higgins and Kyren Wilson set to clash in Masters final

Updated / Sunday, 18 Jan 2026 11:14
John Higgins
John Higgins is bidding for a third Masters crown, with his earlier titles coming in 1999 and 2006

John Higgins reeled off three straight frames as he came from behind to earn a 6-5 semi-final victory over world number one Judd Trump at the Masters.

Things were looking ominous for Higgins as Trump ensured he took a three-frame lead with a neat break of 60, which ended with Higgins conceding.

Higgins gave Trump something to think about before the mid-session interval by clawing it back to 3-2, including a century break, but a couple of breaks of 70 and 57 by the world number one helped him move to within a frame of victory at 5-3.

The Scot fought back for a second time in the match and brought it back to 5-5 before his break of 70 on the decider meant the Englishman is still without a tournament win this season.

Higgins told BBC: "He is so tough to play against. I missed a couple of reds to put myself safe and then he did what he always does which is clear up.

"Even at 5-3, I didn't give up. It was the same against Zhao Xintong. Who knows, maybe my name is the the trophy? You just don’t know.

"I think I’m a better player now than I’ve ever been. You play these great champions like Judd and I’ve lost the last few against him."

Higgins will face last year's runner-up Kyren Wilson, who also battled through a last-frame decider to beat China’s Wu Yize 6-5.

Wu trailed 4-2 but breaks of 75, 87 and 81 put the 22-year-old 5-4 up and one frame from the final.

But a nerveless clearance of 57 hauled Wilson level and the world number two got over the line with the first century of the match, a composed break of 116.

"I wasn’t at the races at all today," Wilson said. "I don’t know where I got those last two frames from.

"Sometimes the snooker gods are on your side and you’ve just got to make the most of it."

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