Saturday’s play at the 2026 Snooker Players Championship in Telford featured two high-drama semi-finals that both went to a final-frame decider, setting up a showpiece final between veteran John Higgins and reigning world champion Zhao Xintong.
Afternoon Session:
In the first semi-final, John Higgins defeated world number one Judd Trump 6–5 in an afternoon thriller.
- Fast Start: Higgins took early control of the match, producing breaks of 71, 57, and 76 to establish a commanding 4–1 lead.
- Trump’s Fightback: Trump responded strongly to win the next two frames and eventually forced a decider by taking the 10th frame on the final black after Higgins missed a match-winning pink to the middle pocket.
- Decider: Despite a foul early in the final frame, Higgins capitalised on a mistake by Trump to secure the win with a break of 65.
- Significance: This victory marks Higgins’ record 60th ranking final appearance. If he wins on Sunday, he will become the oldest ranking event winner in history.
Evening Session: Zhao Overhauls Allen
The evening session saw world champion Zhao Xintong progress to his first Players Championship final by defeating Mark Allen 6–5 in another closely contested match.
- Early Momentum: Mark Allen initially led 3–1, aided by breaks of 107 and 55.
- Zhao’s Response: Zhao leveled the match with a magnificent 140 century break in frame five and another century (103) in frame seven.
- Final Frame: After Allen took a 5–4 lead with a break of 90, Zhao won the penultimate frame to force a decider, which he eventually secured with a break of 56 following a safety error from Allen.
Semi-Final Results Summary
| Match | Result | Notable Breaks |
|---|---|---|
| John Higgins vs Judd Trump | 6–5 | Higgins (71, 76, 65); Trump (123, 117) |
| Zhao Xintong vs Mark Allen | 6–5 | Zhao (140, 103); Allen (107, 90) |
The final will take place today (Sunday, 22 February 2026), with the winner receiving the £150,000 first prize.
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