Kyren Wilson commenced his quest for a maiden Masters title with a commanding 5-3 lead against John Higgins during the initial session of the final at Alexandra Palace.
Higgins, who at 50 is the most senior Triple Crown finalist, started decisively in his attempt to claim this prestigious invitational event for the first time since 2006, winning the opening frame with a break of more than 50.
Yet, the Scot lamented a series of unforced mistakes, which provided the world number two the opportunity to snatch the second frame and gain his footing in the match.
This pattern persisted as Wilson captured the following two frames to lead 3-1 at the break before Higgins, a four-time world champion, stole a disorganized fifth frame and showcased his famed match-play skills to tie the score at 3-3.
However, Wilson was determined not to lose his advantage going into the evening session.
He regained his momentum by constructing an energetic 103 break and beautifully crafted a remarkable 111 – marking his eighth century of the tournament – to conclude the afternoon’s session.
The last two frames of the afternoon served as a clear declaration from Wilson, who had previously lost 10-7 to both Mark Allen (2018) and Shaun Murphy (2025) in his past two finals.
Although he has emerged victorious in just three out of his 11 prior encounters with Higgins, he can take comfort in the fact that one of those wins was en route to his triumph in the World Championship in 2024.
The best-of-19 match will conclude on Sunday at 19:00 GMT, with the champion taking home a top prize of £350,000.
Related topics
- Snooker
