‘Best ever win’ – Snooker star forced to cut short interview after fighting back tears in emotional Tour Championship win
John Higgins hailed his opponent following a stunning comeback in the Tour Championship final.
The Wizard of Wishaw beat Mark Selby 10-8 on Sunday to clinch his 33rd career ranking title.
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Higgins was visibly emotional following his victory, even cutting short his post-match interview as he held back tears.
The four-time world champion won five frames in a row as he overcame Selby's own turnaround during the match.
After establishing a 5-1 lead, Higgins lost the next seven frames to find himself on the verge of defeat.
However, he recovered from being 'frozen out' to see off Selby and scoop the £150,000 prize pot.
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Speaking after the match, Higgins explained: "You are playing a monster of a player.
"To be 5-1 up and to be frozen out to be 8-5 behind, you don't come back and win five in a row against Mark Selby normally. I managed to do it, so it was incredible.
"It is incredibly difficult. You are just hitting a brick wall and I've done it so many times against him over the years.
"He just plays incredible stuff. It was my best ever win. I was playing an unbelievable champion and he was looking like he was not going to miss, he was tying me up in knots.
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"To do that against Mark gives me incredible belief that I can still mix it with the best players."
Selby was also full of praise for Higgins after their back-and-forth encounter.
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The Jester from Leicester said: "John was incredible from 8-5. I missed a pink to the middle at 8-7, apart from that I didn't do a lot wrong, but my head was spinning.
"Every mistake I made, John punished me, he stood up like the warrior he is."
Higgins also claimed a further £10,000 in prize money by achieving the highest break of the tournament.
His 144 against Barry Hawkins in the semi-finals was the best of any player at Manchester Central last week.
The triumph came just over a month on from Higgins' last ranking title.
He beat Joe O'Connor in the final of the World Open in Yushan, China on March 1.
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Higgins' wins mean he will head into the World Championship as the world number six.
The season-ending tournament gets underway at the Crucible on April 19, with Higgins seeded third as he eyes a fifth crown.
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