John Higgins battled back from 9-5 down to beat Mark Williams 10-9 in the final of the 12bet.com UK Championship.
Scot claims a third UK title 10 years after his second
John Higgins battled back from 9-5 down to beat Mark Williams 10-9 in the final of the 12bet.com UK Championship.
It was a third UK Championship for the Scot but his first since 2000 - when he also beat Welshman Williams in the final.
It was also Higgins' first major tournament triumph since serving a six-month ban for bringing the game into disrepute. He has now won 18 out of 19 matches since returning to action.
Williams looked stunned after being on the receiving end of Higgins' remarkable revival.
The only consolation for the Welshman was that he moved back to number three in the rankings having dropped down to a provisional 47th three years ago.
Williams led 6-2 after dominating the afternoon session in Telford, and extended his lead to 7-2 with a run of 40 in the opening frame of the evening.
Higgins staged a revival and a 90 break in frame 10 followed by a 94 clearance cut the gap to three frames.
Momentum
But Williams regained momentum with a 70 in the final frame before the interval.
Higgins responded with a 105 clearance - the first century of the final - but Williams moved to within one frame of the finishing line by winning the 14th.
Higgins broke down on 45 in the next but Williams was unable to capitalise as the deficit was cut to 9-6.
A 76 in the next further reduced Higgins arrears.
Williams was first among the balls with 61 in the next before missing a comfortable red into the black pocket.
Higgins hit back with a 40 and then, after requiring and obtaining one snooker, cleared the colours.
It quickly became 9-9 to set up a one frame shoot-out for the title.
Williams missed a straightforward red into the green pocket and Higgins took advantage with a 66 break.
But he got a kick when potting a black, missed the red that would have left Williams needing snookers.
Williams responded with a run of 33 but Higgins went for and potted an up-and-down the table brown to seal the title.
Elite band
The 35-year-old joined an elite band who have won snooker's second most prestigious event - after the world championships - on three or more occasions.
Steve Davis (six), Stephen Hendry (five) and Ronnie O'Sullivan (four) are the other members of the select group.
Higgins' success - his 22nd ranking title - also lifted him back to number one in the world rankings ahead of Neil Robertson.
