20-year-old Yan win the Masters by beating John Higgins

World number 11, China’s Yan Bingtao’s fought back stunned John Higgins. He was making his Masters debut at the age of 20 is a year older than Ronnie O’Sullivan when he became the youngest champion by beating John Higgins in the 1995 final.

Although Higgins led 5-3 and 7-5, the Sheffield-based player Yan won five of the next sic to win 10-8 to lift the Paul Hunter trophy and took home £250, 000 in prize money. Yan said “ I am very excited as I have imagined how I would celebrate but I am very calm, even though in the last few frames I was not playing well. But I did not give up”.

Higgins added “ It is a great achievement winning it at such a young age. I have played him the last fe years. He has not much to learn in the tactical department and he is scoring as well now. He was fantastic and has such an incredible all round game.” He could be a world champion without a shadow of a doubt, so China is very lucky to have Yan”.