AWSOME COPE SENDS HIGGINS HOME
10/12/2007 18:40:00

John Higgins became the fourth former Maplin UK Champion to crash out in the first round as he suffered a 9-3 reverse to Jamie Cope. Cope is widely recognised among snooker circles as one of the sport's most promising young talents, and proved his potential last season by reaching two ranking finals.

The 22-year-old from Stoke produced the best win of his life today and inflicted upon Higgins one of the heaviest defeats of his own career. The 888.com World Champion and world No 1 joins Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry and Peter Ebdon in the first round Telford graveyard; the eighth top 16 player to fall so far.

Leading 5-3 after the first session, Cope, nicknamed the Shotgun for his explosive style of play, blasted through the first two frames today with a top break of 87.

Higgins had a chance to win frame 11 from 50-0 down but missed a tricky final blue. Cope slotted home blue and pink for 8-3 and added the next for an emphatic victory.

"I really enjoyed it, I started well and carried on from there," said Cope, who has made some 150 maximum breaks in practice. "It's got to be the best win of my career, to beat the World Champion.

"I'm getting used to playing in front of the TV cameras and I'm hoping to get on a roll now."

Wishaw's Higgins has had a poor season so far by his standards, reaching the last 16 of just one of the first four ranking events. "I was battered, I can't be critical of myself because I was beaten by the better player on the day," he said.

"It's disappointing but I didn't do that much wrong. I needed to put him under pressure and I didn't do that enough.

"I've lost to Marco Fu, Fergal O'Brien and Jamie this season, all playing their best. Maybe they raise their games against the World Champion but it's up to me to rise above that and combat it."

Barry Hawkins produced a stunning comeback to defeat Ali Carter in their first round encounter.

The Dartford player was 6-2 down overnight which soon became 8-3, leaving Tiptree's Carter one frame from victory...but it never arrived. Hawkins dug deep and with breaks of 106 and 65 he managed to take the next five frames and level the match.

The deciding frame was naturally a tense affair and came down to the final pink. A lengthy safety exchange followed before SAGA Insurance Masters qualifier winner Hawkins sunk it to a middle pocket to ensure victory and complete a remarkable comeback.

The first round match between friends and practice partners Joe Perry and Neil Robertson ended with a 9-6 win for Perry. They resumed all square at 4-4 then Robertson pulled two in front. Perry then turned the tables and reeled off five frames on the bounce with runs of 60 and 58 along the way to claim the win.

Ryan Day and Royal London Watches Grand Prix winner Marco Fu will start at 4-4 when they play to a finish this evening. There was never more than a frame in it, but Fu did rack up breaks of a 102 and a 111. Day signed off with a 62 and 63 to draw level at the end of the opening session.