World Snooker Championship: Alan McManus enthralled by 'match of the tournament' between John Higgins and Mark Selby
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Published 25/04/2023 at 18:45 GMT
Many people had their eyes fixed on a potential quarter-final between Mark Selby and John Higgins at the 2023 World Snooker Championship when the draw was made. Both players made it through to the last eight and the clash lived up to the billing in the opening session, as the winners of eight titles between them shared the opening eight frames on Tuesday.
'That's brilliant!' - Higgins nails delightful re-spotted black to take frame
Alan McManus has described the clash between Mark Selby and John Higgins as the best match of the World Championship so far.
Selby and Higgins eased through two rounds to set up a contest that would not be out of place as a final between two players who have eight titles between them.
It is shaping up to be a tense affair, as Selby rallied from 4-1 down to split the opening session at 4-4.
They return for session two on Wednesday afternoon, and McManus will be glued to it.
“The first frame had it all, forget the session,” McManus said in the Eurosport studio of a first frame that went Higgins’ way after a re-spot on the black.
McManus continued: “It has already been the match of the tournament. The first frame was a blinder. John made a mistake from 67 in front. Mark did the rest when he got half a squeak. You knew he was going to make the 67 clearance.
“This is the re-spot black, and what an effort it was.”
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Reflecting on Higgins’ pot to win the opening frame, Jimmy White said: “John stunned it in, it was such a difficult black and it looked like he had thrown it away from 67 in front. But he stunned it in.
“It would have been easier to roll it in with top spin. Even if he’d missed, if you look where the white finished, it is tight on the cushion. He is always thinking, John Higgins.”
Commenting on the session as a whole, McManus said: “Surprise-surprise, I am in my element watching this. This is Iron Man against Mr Granite. It does not get any better.
“These are the two hardest players that have ever walked this planet in this game. I am absolutely entranced by it, it has been brilliant.”
White is convinced the contest will go down to the wire on Wednesday evening.
"These two players are so good at their craft, good safety players, good positional players, got plenty of bottle and won so many tournaments,” White said. “For me, this is going all the way, 13-11, 13-12.”
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