What an intense showdown! In the heart of the World Snooker Championship at the legendary Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England, China's Xiao Guodong and Scotland's John Higgins steered the match into a nail-biting 8-8 tie as they headed into the final session. 🎱🔥
After a balanced start with a 4-4 tie when play resumed on Friday, the middle session was full of drama. The opening frames were split evenly before Higgins edged ahead at 7-6, setting the stage for a pivotal moment in the 14th frame.
In a twist of fate, as Xiao appeared to be cruising through the frame, Higgins needed two snookers on the blue ball to level the score. In a jaw-dropping moment, he engineered both snookers, only to accidentally pot the cue ball while aiming for the black ball – gifting the frame to Xiao. 😬
Not one to back down, Higgins bounced back with an impressive 129 century break, tying the match at 8-8. This century marked the 63rd of this year’s tournament, matching last season’s total and highlighting the high standard of play on display.
Meanwhile, another electrifying second round duel saw Zhao Xintong take a 5-3 lead over his compatriot Lei Peifan. After an evenly matched start and Lei's fiery 120 break, Zhao quickly regained momentum with successive breaks, claiming three consecutive frames. Their three-session battle will resume later on Saturday.
For fans across South Asia and Southeast Asia, these epic moments show that passion and precision are at the heart of every sporting showdown. Stay tuned for more updates as the action heats up! ⚡️
Reference(s):
Xiao and Higgins tied at 8-8 after Session 2 at WST World Championship
cgtn.com
