Higgins moves one point away from the play-offs - 15/11/2007

Glades Arena, Kidderminster
John Higgins 4-2 Ding Junhui
Higgins scores first
67-62 (Higgins 44), 77-55 (Higgins 57, Ding 43), 77-14 (Higgins 36, 37), 44-101 (Higgins 38, Ding 35, 31), 0-103 (Ding 94), 84-21 (Higgins 55)

JOHN Higgins took a massive step towards the play-offs by defeating Ding Junhui 4-2 at the Glades Arena in Kidderminster.

It means Higgins only needs a point from his last match against Steve Davis next week to qualify for the semi-finals.

However, a defeat for Higgins next week would see him eliminated from the competition, at the expense of Davis.

Despite only needing a draw, Higgins insisted he will be going for a last match victory.

"How do you go and play for a draw," said Higgins. "Obviously Steve knows what he mo do so it's a must-win game but you have to try and win the match."

Both players had chances in the opening frame in the first match of the night at the Glades Arena in Kidderminster.

Higgins made a break of 44 before Ding edged his way back into the frame and was only 11 behind when he ran out of position.

A missed brown from Higgins looked to be costly but Ding later missed a shot on the same ball, which would have won him the frame, and Higgins clinched it by five points.

The second appeared easier for Higgins as he moved 69 ahead. However, he gave Ding another chance, although the Chinese player did need one snooker.

Ding got it but his break ended at 43 before Higgins potted the yellow to again leave Ding needing a snooker. This time he could not manage it and Higgins moved 2-0 ahead.

It soon became 3-0 as runs of 36 and 37 gave Higgins the third by a scoreline of 77-14.

A controversial foul given against Higgins proved the turning point in the fourth frame but a slow-motion television replay showed that referee Paul Collier had been correct and Higgins had hit the cue ball twice with his cue. Scores of 35 and 31 helped Ding clinch the frame for 3-1.

Ding won the fifth thanks to a break of 94 but missed out on a £1,000 bonus for a century break as he missed the yellow of its spot.

A break of 55 helped Higgins win the last frame of the match and it now means he only needs a draw in the last week to advance into the semi-finals.

Build up
THE first match of the ninth round was between the already-qualified Ding Junhui and current World Champion John Higgins.

However, the Scotsman has not enjoyed the best of campaigns as he has only beaten Jimmy White and is struggling to qualify for the play-offs next month.

But a victory for Higgins in this match would mean he would only need a draw in his last encounter against Steve Davis, which takes place in Glenrothes, Scotland on November 22.

Ding had not lost in this tournament so far this year with three victories and a draw and with nine centuries in his first four matches, has made the most money out of the seven players.