World number 43 Jordan Brown scored a superb 6-3 win over four-time World Champion John Higgins to make the quarter-finals of the International Championship in Tianjin.
Brown sensationally won the Welsh Open in 2021 as a 750-1 outsider, beating Ronnie O’Sullivan 9-8 in a thrilling final. However, he has since struggled to reproduce that form on a consistent basis. Today’s win sees Brown make the last eight of a ranking event for the first time since his momentous victory in Newport two years ago.
The last time Brown and Higgins met was at the 2021 Players Championship, where the match unfolded in contrasting circumstances. Higgins blitzed to a 6-0 victory in a devastating display, which saw him make three centuries in the process. Brown ensured there was no repeat today.
The Northern Irishman set the tone from the off with a fine break of 87 to take the opener. Higgins responded with 64 to take the second, but it was Brown who took the next two on the bounce to head into the mid-session 3-1 ahead.
The break didn’t disturb his momentum and when play resumed it was soon 4-1 after a run of 94. Typically, the steely Higgins didn’t fade away and he won consecutive frames to claw himself back into contention at 4-3. Brown crucially won a 48-minute eighth frame to move one from victory and he clinched the tie in style with a break of 116 to get over the line.
“I’m very proud of the performance more than anything. Playing an all-time great like John is never going to be easy, but I think I handled things pretty well out there. I scored heavily and took my chances when they came,” said 36-year-old Brown.
“It has been a tough couple of years since I won the Welsh. I’m always working hard and trying to look for that little bit of an edge. In the last couple of months I have won some matches that have caused me to grow in confidence. It has been frustrating but it is finally coming all together now.
“The game is tough at the end of the day, that is the bottom line. I have been struggling, but I’m really trying to get my form back and I feel like I’m playing better than ever. I feel my game is good enough to win any tournament and I’m certainly not frightened of anybody because I just concentrate on myself. Hopefully that is good enough.”
Brown’s quarter-final opponent will be Stephen Maguire, who ended Ryan Day’s chances of qualifying automatically for the MrQ UK Championship, coming through with a 6-4 win.
Day knew that victory would see him move ahead of Hossein Vafaei in 16th position on the world rankings, but the Iranian remains safe for now. World number 30 Maguire needs to win the event to break into the top 16.
World number one Ronnie O’Sullivan saw off Anthony McGill 6-2 to earn his place in the quarter-finals where he will face Ali Carter, who defeated Daniel Wells 6-1.
O’Sullivan top scored with 133 in this evening’s encounter and has been in scintillating form this week, firing in six centuries thus far. The Rocket started the tournament knowing that he was in a four-way fight to retain his position at the top of the world rankings. However, Judd Trump, Mark Allen and Luca Brecel have all fallen by the wayside.
European Masters champion Barry Hawkins produced a stunning fightback to overhaul a 5-1 deficit against Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and emerge a 6-5 victor. Next up for Hawkins is a quarter-final clash with Tom Ford, who scored a shock 6-3 win over four-time World Champion Mark Selby.
Ding Junhui boosted his chances of staying in the top 16 ahead of the UK Championship cut off, beating Pang Junxu 6-2. He now faces another Chinese compatriot Zhang Anda, who scored a 6-3 win over Lyu Haotian.
