John Higgins seals fourth world title in poignant win over Judd Trump
• Higgins wins 18-15 after being 12-9 behind qualifier
• Victory follows betting suspension and father's death
John Higgins celebrates with his wife Denise and children after beating Judd Trump in the world championship final at The Crucible. Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/PA
John Higgins came from behind to claim his fourth world championship title as the most harrowing 12 months of his life ended in triumph.
It was a poignant triumph in the aftermath of the death in February of his father, John Sr, who had been a constant backstage presence at his previous Crucible appearances. When this was mentioned in the traditional arena interview he dissolved into tears as he hugged his wife and their three children.
Only Steve Davis with six and Stephen Hendry with seven have won more world titles in the modern era, dating from BBC's first coverage from The Crucible in 1977.
"It's an unbelievable moment to win it again," Higgins said. "It's been amazing, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for [the support of his family]. It's just an unbelievable 12 months but it's been great."
"John played the better snooker over the two days," said the 21-year-old loser, smiling through his disappointment. "The whole experience has been incredible, all 17 days of it. Every game has just built and built with the fanbase and support from everyone."
But Higgins argued that "Judd was the better player. He was playing a brand of snooker I've never seen in my life. The amount of long pots he made was incredible. We've got a new sensation in the game."
He attributed his success to "tough matchplay. I played great to get back into it and made Judd think about it [his three- frame lead]".
"Judd lit the tournament up but John goes home with the spoils," Davis summed up.
The 35-year-old Scot had looked tired, almost spent, in losing Sunday's closing three frames but produced his best sustained form of the championship, twice narrowing the gap to two before, from 12-9 down, ending the afternoon on a four-frame winning streak.
This advantage increased to two frames when an in-off on 38 that Trump should have avoided allowed Higgins in for 62. Trump levelled by taking the next two frames but his failed black after potting the last red left Higgins in a position to clear the colours he needed to regain the lead at 15-14.
Higgins won a tight frame for 16-14 and led 45-0 in the next but his red to a distant baulk pocket failed and Trump sprang to renewed life with 70. But he could not sustain this recovery as leads of 39-0 and 60-0 turned to dust in the two remaining frames.
Higgins thus ended what had in many respects been a trying season in memorable fashion.
Suspended for six months and fined £75,000 for failing to report an illegal betting approach, he returned on 1 November and in six months won five titles, including the UK Championship by recovering from four down with five to play against Mark Williams in the final.
Only a few days after the death of his father from cancer he demonstrated his iron will by winning the Welsh Open. It was remarkable to play so well for so long in such circumstances but when he came to The Crucible there were signs of burnout.
Rory McLeod's caution and 30-second shot average made his 13-7 second-round victory more draining than the score might suggest and certainly did nothing for his rhythm.
He had to come from 8-5 behind to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 13-10 and from 9-5 adrift to beat Williams 17-14 in the semis.
On the first day of the final it seemed his reserves had run dry but he was to prove this perception emphatically mistaken.
John Higgins shows his pedigree to claw back Judd Trump's lead
• Higgins takes 13-12 lead going into final session
• 21-year-old Trump had 10-7 overnight advantage
John Higgins showed great tenacity to get back into contention against Judd Trump in the final of the World Championship. Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/PA
John Higgins, epitomising tenacity, experience and class, turned his 10‑7 overnight arrears into a 13-12 lead over Judd Trump going into the final session of their best-of-35 frames World Championship final.
The 35-year-old Scot had looked tired, almost spent, in losing Sunday's closing three frames but produced his best sustained form of the championship, twice narrowing the gap to two before, from 12-9 down, ending the afternoon on a four-frame winning streak.
The widely anticipated scenario was that the 21-year-old Trump, the star of this year's show with his flair and long potting, would make further progress towards becoming, after Stephen Hendry, the youngest ever champion, but the Crucible's 17-day marathon of the mind had another test in store for him.
The day's first four frames, evenly shared, saw runs of 59 and 97 from Higgins, 104 and 99 from Trump, who then, overplaying his hand, attempted to cut the blue a long way down a side cushion and left it over a pocket.
Neil Robertson, whose title defence Trump had ended in the first round, had tweeted: "Judd's taken attacking snooker to a place where there's no right or wrong shot. Great to watch."
But when winning or losing becomes the immediate issue or when a substantial lead in pursuit of a lifelong ambition is reduced, pressure alters the equation between risk, difficulty and potential gain. In first with 35 in the next frame, Trump split the reds only for one of them to block the black's path to a pocket. Forced to attempt a longish all-or-nothing blue from its spot, he pulled it just wide and let Higgins in to clear with 83.
The psychological balance of the match had changed. Trump potted the initial red of the following frame only to overcut a short-range brown.
Higgins, by now in the groove, made 113 from that and when Trump, having failed to connect with an apparently straightforward positional cannon, tried a desperate potting remedy, he let the three-times champion in for 57 and his one-frame interval lead.
It has been a trying season for Higgins. Suspended for six months and fined £75,000 for failing to report an illegal betting approach he returned on 1 November and in six months won five titles, including the UK Championship when recovering from four down with five to play against Mark Williams in the final.
Only a few days after the death of his father, John senior, from cancer, he demonstrated his iron will to win the Welsh Open. It was remarkable to play so well for so long in such circumstances but when he came to The Crucible there were signs of burnout.
Rory McLeod's caution and 30-second shot average made Higgins' 13-7 second-round victory more draining than the score might suggest and certainly did nothing for his rhythm; he had to come from behind against both Ronnie O'Sullivan in the quarter-finals and Williams in the semis.
"At 8-5 down I thought I was out," he said of his match with O'Sullivan. "I don't know how I got it back to 8-8."
O'Sullivan's acknowledged shortcomings helped him get through 13-10 but he was also in deep trouble against Williams at 9-5 adrift. "Getting it back to 9-7 after the second session was the turning point. I could easily have been 10-6 or even 11-5 behind."
Higgins went on to win 17-14, thus emerging from an exceptionally difficult quarter of the draw but when he fell 10-7 behind to Trump many believed that even his deep well of resolve was almost dry. It was not.
