The final in Wuhan tomorrow will be contested between John Higgins and Joe O’Connor. This is not a final line-up many would have predicted but it will certainly be interesting. I will be firmly in Joe’s camp!

Here is how we got there as reported by WST:

SF1 : John Higgins 6-5 Zak Surety

John Higgins came from 5-3 down to beat Zak Surety 6-5 in the semi-finals of the Weide Cup World Open in Yushan, remaining on track for a first ranking title in four years.

World number 89 Surety had enjoyed a career-best run, having never previously been beyond the last 16 of a ranking event, but the 33-year-old finished the week in anguish having missed several clear chances for victory in the last three frames. He banks his biggest pay-day of £33,000 but misses out on a certain £75,000 for the runner up and possible £175,000 for the winner.

Higgins will meet Ali Carter or Joe O’Connor on Saturday with the chance of a 32nd ranking title and first since the 2021 Players Championship exactly four years ago. The Scot, who turns 50 in May, becomes the oldest ranking event finalist since the 1986 Grand Prix when a 53-year-old Rex Williams lost to Jimmy White.

World number 13 Higgins will be playing in the 57th ranking final of his 33-year pro career, and second of the season having lost to Mark Selby at the Unibet British Open in September. As it stands he is up to tenth place in the Johnstone’s Paint One-Year rankings and is on track to qualify for both the Sportsbet.io Players Championship and Sportsbet.io Tour Championship.

After sharing the first two frames, Essex potter Surety won a scrappy third then made an excellent 65 clearance to lead 3-1. Higgins hit back with breaks of 113 and 94 for 3-3, only for Surety to regain the lead with a 56 in frame seven, then make a 38 clearance in the eighth for 5-3.

The underdog looked composed in the ninth and was edging towards the winning post until he ran out of position on 53. He then played a loose safety, leaving a red close to a top corner, and Higgins potted it to set up a tide-turning 72 clearance. 

Another safety error from Surety in frame ten when he trailed 36-20, leaving his opponent a red to centre, proved costly as Higgins added 38 points for 5-5. In the decider, Surety built a run of 41 and had the balls well-placed, but missed a red to top corner. Higgins, under pressure himself, failed to convert a red to centre, but then Surety’s attempted red to the same pocket also missed the target. This time there was no reprieve as Higgins cleared expertly with 72.

“It feels amazing to win, I’m buzzing,” said Higgins. “Zak will be pig sick because he totally outplayed me, he just missed a couple of crucial balls at the end. He was holding himself together brilliantly at 5-3, every credit to him in his first semi. It’s a tough game when you’re under pressure.

“It will be hard for him to take but hopefully he’ll reflect on reaching the semi-finals and the ranking points. He is such an improved player, I think he’ll keep moving up. Hopefully this will make him better as every player goes through devastating losses. He had some nice words for me at the end and that shows the mark of the man. You want good things to happen to people like that, when they take defeats with good grace.  

“At 5-3 I was trying to stay positive. There was pressure at the end and I still had to go in and pot the balls. I have been on the receiving end of so many deciders in the last few years. Maybe beating Zhou Yuelong 5-4 this week helped me because I was able to keep myself under control today. 

“I will be playing a great cueist in the final. Ali has won a lot of tournaments, and Joe has hit the ball better than anyone this week. Hopefully play my best tomorrow, I’ll give it my all.”

SF2: Joe O’Connor 6-3 Ali Carter

Superb O’Connor Books Higgins Final

Joe O’Connor is just one win away from landing his first ranking title as he continued his tremendous form at the Weide Cup World Open by beating Ali Carter 6-3 in the semi-finals.

Playing the best snooker of his life, O’Connor has knocked out five players this week including Judd Trump, Shaun Murphy and Carter, conceding just ten frames. The 29-year-old from Leicester has made four centuries and 18 more breaks over 50, finally showing his potential after a relatively quiet season in which he had previously made just one quarter-final appearance. 

On Saturday, world number 39 O’Connor will face the biggest match of his seven-year career when he takes on four-time World Champion John Higgins over a possible 19 frames for the trophy. Already guaranteed a biggest ever pay-day of £75,000, that figure would jump to £175,000 for O’Connor if he can get to ten frames first. 

He will be aiming to win a maiden professional title, and playing in his second ranking final, having lost the first 9-2 against Gary Wilson at the 2022 Scottish Open. “Joe has hit the ball better than anyone this week,” admitted Higgins after his semi-final, and the all-time legend knows he will have a battle on his hands for the silverware despite his vast advantage in experience. 

Victory would bring significant spin-offs for O’Connor as he would jump into the top 16 of the Johnstone’s Paint One-Year rankings and earn a place in next month’s Sportsbet.io Players Championship, as well as moving into contention for a top 16 Crucible seeding and earning a spot at next season’s Sportsbet.io Champion of Champions.

Breaks of 62, 68 and 75 helped him build a 4-1 lead today. Carter pulled one back with a 96 before O’Connor’s run of 73 made it 5-2. World number 14 Carter, who had hoped to win a seventh ranking title, won frame eight with a break of 71 and had an early chance in the ninth, but made just 11 before missing a mid-range red.

O’Connor, seemingly unaffected by the pressure of the situation, made 31 before running out of position and playing safe. Carter went for a do-or-die long red and hit the jaws of a top corner, handing his opponent the chance to wrap up the result with a run of 45.

“It was another solid performance, Ali wasn’t at his best but I took my chances when I got them,” said O’Connor. “I feel I’m a more complete player than I was when I last reached a final in 2022, I am more consistent and my scoring has definitely improved. Hopefully that can continue and who knows what will happen tomorrow. I’d say 99.9% of the time I don’t feel nerves, I try to just focus on the next shot and that doesn’t leave room for nerves to creep in.“

Just before traveling to China, O’Connor posted on social media paying tribute to his grandfather who sadly passed away recently. Asked if he was thinking about his grandfather this week, he added: “I have had little moments. The little rubs of the green I am getting might be him up there moving the balls for me and making sure I can go on and win this. That’s what I want to do, it would be for him.

John Higgins will be favourite to win tomorrow if only because he has such vast experience of being in that situation- playing in a final – and he has vast experience of winning finals as well. Joe has only been in one ranking final before.: it was in the 2022 Scottish Open and he was beaten heavily by Gary Wilson. That said, he looks a different player nowadays, more experienced, more assured. He really impressed me this season. Also the pressure will be on John precisely because he’s the one expected to win. Let’s hope for a good match.