John Higgins loses nail-biting Chris Wakelin clash after fuming with referee

11/07/2024 10:18 AM

John Higgins went on to lose a tense deciding frame to Chris Wakelin at the International Championship after fuming with the referee over the match being paused for hours.

The quarter-final clash in Nanjing was a close one throughout, with Wakelin continuing to edge ahead but the four-time champion staying in touch over the early stages.

It was Higgins who edged ahead at 5-4 before Wakelin claimed the 10th frame to set-up a nail-biting decider, but the players had a long wait before they could complete the game.

As the first 10 frames had taken a long while from the 1.30pm start (6.30am UK time), they finished that 10th frame 32 minutes before the next session was due to start, with the other two quarter-finals.

The officials said it was too close to the next session to play the final frame then, so the players were dragged off, much to the Scot’s chagrin.

He returned to his seat but on seeing that the match was to resume later he angrily gestured at the referee and appeared to let loose some X-rated language.

After Ding Junhui beat Kyren Wilson 6-4 in their quarter-final the pair returned and Higgins was only left more frustrated as he took an early lead but Wakelin got a chance and made 62 to book his spot in the semi-finals.

It was especially frustrating for Higgins as his previous match against Lyu Haotian had also been pulled off and he returned hours later to win the decider in that one.

It is a bit of a nightmare situation for the players to tensely wait to play just one more frame for an unknown amount of time while another match is being played.

However, tournament organisers do have to get fans in for the start of the next match, with those players expecting to start at a certain time.

Higgins offered Wakelin a handshake and words of congratulations after the match, as the Englishman picked up his first ever win over the legendary figure in a big event.

It is a painful loss for the Wizard of Wishaw as he will now miss the Champion of Champions for the first time ever next week, with the International Championship his final chance to qualify.

Wakelin will now meet Xiao Guodong in the semi-finals after the recent Wuhan Open winner beat Jackson Page 6-4 in his last eight contest earlier in the day.

Ding booked his spot in the semis by beating the world champion and looking very good doing it, finishing the match with breaks of 129 and 123 in the final two frames.

The Chinese icon will meet either Gary Wilson or Xu Si in the semis in what has turned into a surprise line-up in the last four.