Sunday’s 2024 British Open closing will happen between Mark Selby and John Higgins on the Centaur in Cheltenham.
The pair will face off towards each other in a heavyweight showdown between two four-time world champions.
A runner-up prize value £45,000 is already assured, however they may every have their goal set on touchdown the £100,000 champion’s cheque.
John Higgins comfortably emerged from his semi-final conflict on Saturday afternoon with a bruising 6-0 defeat of Oliver Traces.
The latter struggled with the event of enjoying at that stage of a rating occasion for the primary time in his profession, and the vastly skilled Scot took benefit.
Higgins started this week in disappointment having formally dropped exterior the world’s high 16 for the primary time in 29 years.
However by bouncing again beautifully this week, the 49 year-old has already safeguarded his return to the elite bracket of the rankings no matter what transpires within the British Open closing.
The Wizard of Wishaw will, after all, choose to finish the week in model by capturing a primary rating title since 2021.
There have been a number of close to misses since that victory on the Gamers Championship greater than three years in the past, however he has as soon as once more put himself into place to land a thirty second profession rating crown.
His closing opponent is a equally esteemed competitor marked with lots of the identical on-table attributes.
Mark Selby had a extra irritating semi-final outing however managed to beat world quantity three Mark Allen with a 6-3 scoreline.
Though not so long as what Higgins has endured, Selby can be on the right track to finish a drought of his personal having not gained a rating title in 18 months.
The 41 year-old is one victory shy of taking his general tally to 23, a triumph that will see him return to the highest 4 of the world rankings record as properly.
Higgins and Selby have a protracted historical past of enjoying essential matches towards one another, courting again a few a long time after they battled in three consecutive World Championship editions from 2005 to 2007.
They’ve clashed thrice with silverware on the road, together with twice on the Crucible Theatre, with Selby holding a 2-1 report and the general head-to-head stats studying favourably for the Jester too.
A number of of Higgins’ most up-to-date look in finals have concluded along with his incapacity to recover from the profitable line when in place to take action.
Selby, although, has voodoo of his personal to cope with having bizarrely failed in his profession thus far to win any event the place the host broadcaster is ITV.
The Englishman reached the British Open closing a yr in the past solely to be denied glory on that event by Mark Williams.
It’s a unique Class of ’92 legend who Selby should cope with this time, with Higgins on the right track so as to add to the 4 British Open titles he gained between 1995 and 2004.
Additionally up for grabs is the Clive Everton Trophy, which can tackle extra poignancy this yr following the passing of the previous journalist and commentator final week on the age of 87.
The 2024 British Open closing is a best-of-19 affair with the periods beginning at 1pm and 7pm UTC+1.
Featured photograph credit score: WST
