Players Championship: Zhao Xintong produces a brilliant finish to beat John Higgins

Zhao Xintong produced a brilliant finish to beat John Higgins 10-7 and win the Players Championship in Telford.

With little difference between the pair throughout the close encounter, Chinese world champion Zhao took control with a 7-6 lead, winning four straight frames to secure his second successive rankings title.

The 28-year-old’s victory follows his win at the World Grand Prix earlier this month, and he became the fourth player to win all of his first five ranking finals, after Steve Davis, Mark Williams and Neil Robertson.

Chow’s win also prevented four-time world champion John Higgins from becoming the oldest winner of a rankings event at the age of 50.

“I’m sure my kids are lucky to have seen someone like Shentong because he’s an absolute genius,” said Higgins from Scotland.

“In the last three frames there was absolutely poetry in motion. I think he’s going to be the guy to beat in the World Series this year.”

In a first session that saw multiple momentum swings, Higgins took a 2-0 lead before Zhao equalised.

Zhao took the lead for the first time to take a 4-3 lead, before Higgins won the next frame with a score of 90 to level the contest.

The pair continued to trade frames in the evening session before Zhao took control after back-to-back centuries from a 7-6 deficit as he took the lead, before going on to see the game through with ease.