Higgins takes control

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Needing 18 frames for victory, Wishaw cueman Higgins won seven out of eight frames to establish an overnight lead of 11-5.

No player has come back from 11-5 in the final to be world champion in Sheffield, so Murphy must make history on Monday if he is to add to his 2005 title.

Higgins, the champion of 1998 and 2007, stepped up his performance in the second session of the final and Murphy could produce little by way of a response.

Higgins fired in two breaks of 128, the 82nd and 83rd centuries of a tournament in which the previous World Championship record of 68 has been obliterated.

He had gone to the mid-session interval on the back of a break of 95, and it was an ominous sign.

The sudden injection of quality was welcome as the afternoon action had suggested both players were exhausted by their efforts to reach the final.

The pair were tied at 4-4 and at that stage the close contest which had been widely predicted looked to be materialising.

But that was all to change over a remarkable two-and-a-half hours of evening action.

With the trophy, and a £250,000 cheque, now just seven frames away, if Higgins produces a repeat of this session when they resume on Monday afternoon then there will be no need to come back in the evening.