Higgins secures quarter-final spot with victory over Fu

John Higgins defeated Marco Fu 6-4 in a see-saw battle to progress to the quarter-finals of the Masters at Wembley.

Higgins, who won the tournament in 1999 and 2006, raced into a two-frame lead which included a break of 140 - comfortably the best of the tournament so far - in the second.

However Hong Kong's Fu, looking to become the first non-British winner since Cliff Thorburn in 1986, hauled himself level at the mid-session interval, requiring a re-spotted black in frame four to do so.

Fu, the world number 14, took the fifth to forge ahead for the first time and then gave himself breathing space with a break of 77 which secured frame six.

A fluky, cannoned red gave Fu an ideal opportunity to go three frames ahead but his break came to an end at 40, and the Scot took full advantage to take the seventh with a visit of 59.

The 'Wizard of Wishaw' was back on terms after he won the eighth with a poised 69 break, and he surged back into the lead by claiming a scrappy frame nine which both players had chances to win.

Fu, battling to stay alive in the match, built a healthy advantage in the penultimate frame but a reinvigorated Higgins fought back.

The world number five looked to have missed his chance when a pink rattled the jaws and stayed up, although Fu was snookered by the black and unable to take advantage.

A brilliant shot by Higgins pocketed the pink and then, needing the black to win the frame and the match, he saw his shot ricochet on the jaws and roll along the bottom cushion into the opposite pocket.

It was an outrageous way to seal victory but nonetheless Higgins will now face Ding Junhui in the last eight.