Masters final suspended for medical emergency as players ordered away | Other | Sport
The Masters snooker final between John Higgins and Kyren Wilson was halted for a medical emergency in the crowd. In between the second and third frames, BBC host Hazel Irvine confirmed that a fan had an issue and the players were told to leave the table while medics attended the scene.
Higgins and Wilson had split the first two frames and both players momentarily took a break. However, when they returned to the Alexandra Palace stage, they were informed that a medical emergency had taken place and they should not return to the table, instead they were ushered back towards their dressing rooms.
“I should tell you that we have had something of a medical emergency,” Irvine said. “I understand that things are in hand and the players have both just been taken off for the time being. It does give us [Irvine, Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry] a chance to reflect on some of the events earlier in the week.”
Irvine later confirmed that the person involved was now “fine” and play resumed not too long after, with Wilson and Higgins deadlocked at 1-1.
Higgins had taken the opening frame with a statement break of 58, a real marker as he made history at Ally Pally by becoming the oldest player in history to reach the Masters final.
He should have doubled his advantage in the second frame, but a few wayward misses allowed Wilson back in to overturn a 45-point deficit with a spectacular colour clearance.
Higgins wondered if his name was “on the trophy” after completing a stunning comeback over world No. 1 Judd Trump in the semi-final.
After winning from 3-0 and 5-3 down, Higgins said: “He [Judd Trump] is so tough to play against. I missed a couple of reds to put myself safe and then he did what he always does which is clear up.
“Even at 5-3 I didn’t give up. It was the same against Zhao Xintong. Who knows, maybe my name is on the trophy? You just don’t know.”
After beating Wu Yize in a 6-5 decider, Wilson said: “Wu Yize is going to be around for many years to come. I just wasn’t at the races at all today and I don’t know where I found those last two frames.
“Wu let me off the hook a little bit. The same as Neil Robertson – it looked like it was going to be all over and I was going out. Sometimes the snooker gods are on your side and you just have to make the most of it.
“It’s an awesome achievement in itself to make back-to-back finals but that’s not what I’m in the game for. I don’t want to leave it there. I think I put myself under too much pressure because I am desperate to play John Higgins in the final. An all-time legend. That’s something I’ll savour.”
