John Higgins rolls back years to beat world No.1 Mark Selby in Preston

John Higgins defeated world number one Mark Selby 6-4 to set up a Coral Players Championship quarter-final against Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Taking three of the four opening frames in Preston, former world champion Higgins secured breaks of 68 and 58.

John Higgins at the Guild Hall (photo: Event Photos 67)placeholder image
John Higgins at the Guild Hall (photo: Event Photos 67)

Selby impressively responded with breaks of 67 and 76, and then a further score of 121 to take the lead.

Two more half-centuries put Higgins back on course for victory, and he closed it out to progress to the next round against O’Sullivan.

There was also a 6-4 victory for Stuart Bingham, over David Gilbert, which means he will next meet Mark Allen.

Judd Trump progressed to the semi-finals, after recovering from a losing position to win 6-5 against Jack Lisowski.

News you can trust since 1886
Follow us
© 2026 Iconic Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice