John Higgins ends long title drought after thrashing Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-3

John Higgins won a first ranking title for more than three years by trouncing world champion and oldest rival Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Scot Higgins scooted to victory in the 71stmeeting of two of the famous ‘Class of 1992’ graduates with a 10-3 drubbing of the Rocket at the Players Championship.

Four-time world champion Higgins, 45, lifted the trophy and pocketed the £125,000 first prize having dropped only FOUR frames during the whole event in Milton Keynes.

John Higgins thrashed Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-3 to claim his first title in more than three years

The triumph somewhat makes up for the shock loss in January’s Master’s final to Yan Bingtao

And he becomes the oldest winner of a ranking tournament since the late Doug Mountjoy in 1989.

It was a sweet moment for world No6 Higgins after a defeat in January’s Masters final to Chinese youngster Yan Bingtao that really hurt.

There was no better medicine for that than such a dominant performance against O’Sullivan, a player against who he has experienced some of his biggest highs and most damaging lows.

It was the first time Higgins and six-time Crucible king O’Sullivan had clashed in the showpiece of a ranking event for 16 years. On that occasion Higgins won 9-2 at the Grand Prix.

And it was a 31st ranking title for Higgins in total, third on the all-time list – five behind Stephen Hendry who makes his comeback tomorrow, and six behind O’Sullivan.

For O’Sullivan though, looking to extend his own record by taking a 38th ranking title, it was a fourth successive loss in a final since last summer for the first time in an illustrious career.

‘Wizard of Wishaw’ Higgins, who made breaks of 92, 68, 142, 138, 51, 70, 77 and a victory lap 127, said: ‘It is the best week I have ever had.

‘I have won world titles but over a whole event and against this calibre of opponent, here I have done a Ronnie by going through the field pretty easy.

‘You see the standard and you start to wonder of you ever will win again, so this is very pleasing. I had forgotten what a trophy looks like.’

O’Sullivan said: ‘John was unbelievable, I have been watching him all week, Selby only got seven points off him and he was just too good.

‘I knew I had to play well and I did a lot of sitting in my chair. All you can do is your best, and if that only gets you to the final you have to accept it.

Higgins is now the oldest winner of a ranking tournament since the late Doug Mountjoy in 1989

‘It as a masterclass from John and great to see such a great player winning titles again.’

Higgins, who had shown scintillating form in dropping only a single frame in reaching the final, resumed in exactly the same manner against O’Sullivan.

The Scot surged into a 5-0 lead helped by breaks of 92, 68, 142 and 138 to leave O’Sullivan reeling and already with a mountain to climb.

He did manage to get the deficit back to four by the end of the afternoon, ending the session with a magnificent break of 144 – the highest of the tournament – to offer some hope at 6-2.

But that was soon crushed in the evening. O’Sullivan really needed to win the first mini-session but though he managed another century Higgins made breaks of 51, 70 and 77 to put him on the brink.

And after the interval he closed it out with a break of 127.