John Higgins, 50, Stuns World No. 1 to Reach Masters Final

At 50 years old, John Higgins just proved that champions never stop fighting.

The Scottish snooker legend mounted an incredible comeback against world number one Judd Trump on Saturday, clawing back from 3-0 and 5-3 down to win 6-5 and reach his first Masters final since 2021. It's a victory that makes Higgins the oldest player ever to reach a Triple Crown event final.

The match started terribly for Higgins. Trump dominated the opening frames, and Higgins had lost his previous seven matches against the Englishman. Down 3-0, most players would have crumbled.

But Trump missed critical opportunities in the fourth frame, giving Higgins an opening. "The fourth frame was massive because if he goes 4-0 it's done, but at 3-1 I felt good," Higgins told BBC Sport.

From there, the momentum shifted completely. Higgins crafted a superb 104 break in the fifth frame, announcing his comeback. The frames seesawed back and forth as both players traded brilliant shots and costly errors.

Then came the moment that changed everything. Leading in the ninth frame with just four balls to pot, Trump inexplicably missed a routine brown. It was the kind of mistake that haunts players in their sleep.

Higgins seized the opportunity with ice in his veins. He reeled off three consecutive frames with pressure breaks of 70 and 57, completing one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent snooker history.

Why This Inspires

Higgins's journey makes this victory even sweeter. He hasn't won a Triple Crown title since 2011 and briefly dropped out of the top 16 rankings during a four-year title drought. He'd suffered heartbreaking defeats in three successive World Championship finals between 2017 and 2019.

Many thought his time at snooker's top table had passed. Higgins himself admitted he wondered if his chance at playing in big finals had run out. "Deep down you are maybe thinking, your time has maybe run out to be playing in these massive finals in front of big crowds," he said. "I am so proud."

But here's what makes champions different: they never stop believing. "People will laugh but I think I'm a better player now than I've ever been," Higgins declared after the match.

His refusal to give up, even at 5-3 down, shows that experience and mental toughness can overcome raw talent and world rankings. It's a reminder that the most dangerous opponent is the one who has nothing to lose and everything to prove.

On Sunday, Higgins will face either Kyren Wilson or Wu Yize in the Masters final, chasing his first title at this prestigious tournament since 2006 and his first Triple Crown since 2011.

Age may slow your hands, but it can sharpen your heart.