Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins | Highlights | 2021 Cazoo Champion of Champions

I couldn't agree with Alan McManus more. Forget about this afternoon, it's all about what's going to occur over these 11 frames and that's a booster for Higgins. Keep the break going and he's got a nice angle on the black to disturb these two reds. What a great start to this match. We were all hoping for fireworks. 85. Certainly delivering this in the first frame. Brilliant start. Ronnie O'Sullivan has only just broke off, sat in his chair. 86. Ever since. John Higgins 86, I'm afraid. Spinning classes, no need to put a spin on that. It was excellent. He was lean and mean. Beautifully played. Excellent cueing and that will make him feel good. Ronnie O'Sullivan, six. Not very often you get to say this about O'Sullivan but that was poor cueing. He's been so used to picking up silverware over the years and you get to that stage, it would hurt him. There's no doubt about losing those two finals by the odd frame. This has been top quality break. Really punishing his opponent here. 92. John Higgins 93, I'm afraid. The message has been sent. John Higgins is playing beautifully and he leads 2-0. There was quite a bit of pressure on that but couldn't have hit it any sweeter. We need a response from Ronnie O'Sullivan. 93. 94. Nice angle to take the red off the cushion here. Beautiful shot. Back out behind the yellow. Back out behind the yellow. Unlucky. 101. Put that yellow in room. 101 for O'Sullivan. He's got a frame on the board and he looked mighty good in doing it. Great match this. Such fine margins can determine winning and losing frames at this level. A little bit of luck does play its part. Oh, but he hasn't taken advantage and the cue ball is going close to the middle pocket. Wow. Ronnie O'Sullivan, four. Yeah, I didn't expect John to miss that, in all fairness, the way he's been playing. So, a chance now for Ronnie. This has been a frame of twists and turns. Now it goes back spectacularly in favour of John Higgins. Good custom. Nine. What sort of an angle has he got on this blue? Got to be careful. He's close to the black. That's pretty good. 14. And anywhere with the cue ball close to the right-hand side cushion for a right-hander it's not too bad. So, just drop this pink in almost that way. 20. John Higgins, 27 on the frame. The clearance of the colours and that means great Scott. John Higgins leads 3-1 at the interval. So, this is quite a big shot now with the cue ball heading into the bunch in some description, maybe just glancing off them. He's going to play this with a bit of pace. Well, that couldn't be played any better. The way the cue ball went forward and then just zipped back. You see, first of all, it just didn't react and then all of a sudden it took off. Great shot. You'll need, as he's just checking, another red after this blue is sunk. You're never quite sure after an interval whether the players are going to be quite as focused as they were before it. Well, Higgins certainly is, clearly from this visit. This is frame ball for 4-1. Clinical. 62. 69. 70. I don't think Ronnie has done a great deal wrong in this frame. He broke off, left a difficult red which John potted. He got a little lucky with the double kiss but Ronnie then didn't get out of the snooker sufficiently to stop John having a chance and that really is the fine margins we're speaking. 77. Higgins has pounced on whatever has come his way. It's fair to say when they turned professionally in 1992 the world was a very different place. George Bush senior was in the White House. Donald Trump was in Home Alone 2. They had everything ahead of them as teenagers. It was a time before stardom, before scrutiny, before riches, before fatherhood, before social media, before all the harsh realities of the adult world. They were just two boys playing snooker and they're still playing to a high level with nothing left to prove but clearly still plenty left to give. John Higgins has just produced a tremendous break there. 127 from the Scotsman to pile the pressure on Ronnie O'Sullivan. Higgins three clear leading 4-1. 32. He had a hunch it wasn't going to work out. Now the Reddits closest to might just creep into the middle bag in front of the other two Redds but it's not an easy shot rolling it. 33. Coolly recovered. What a chance then where the Redds are to go within one of victory. Played particularly well since. Players like John Higgins can read the signs. He had a chance to really capitalise. He's in a very good place with his game now. 79. Contrast to earlier today. It was really struggling. I think what we've seen this week almost is that those early matches they're irrelevant by the time you get to the evening. Everyone seems to just step it up. Certainly that's the case with Higgins. Looking then for back-to-back centuries just to rubber stamp how well he's playing. 86. 87. 94. The Reds stays out. John Higgins 94 on the frame. What performance from Higgins since the interval. Two devastating breaks. He's on the brink needing one more. Leading 5-1. 22. He's struggling a little bit that gets in the way. Now he's got to cut the black back from behind his spot. It's tricky as well. It's not happening is it? He sensed something could go wrong quite quickly there where the balls were. Ronnie O'Sullivan 22. No it's true. He just wasn't quite in control was he as you would expect him to be close in and eventually he has missed. It's an enduring rivalry this. It's a friendly one but when they get out there of course they both are desperate to win and John Higgins 63 has turned things around from an uncertain display this afternoon to a world-class one this evening. Now then two snookers needed. John Higgins 63. O'Sullivan is going to play on. Not quite over yet. 42 in it. 35 on. Being forced into potting the red which normally he wouldn't want to do and in fact he's not going to. He's going to let John Higgins. John Higgins has been very very impressive this evening. Breaks of 86, 92, 127, 94 and 63 to complete a demolition job of Ronnie O'Sullivan. It's Higgins to play is the winner by six frames to one.