On January 2, 2025, the snooker exhibition match in Hangzhou officially kicked off, with the first game being exciting, tense, and full of suspense.
Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins, these long-time rivals clashed again on the table, and the much-anticipated matchup between the Wizard and the Rocket did not disappoint the fans.
The game had its ups and downs, it was really a back-and-forth battle, making the audience both nervous and thrilled.
Speaking of the progress of the game, at the beginning of the first round, Higgins seemed to be in a bit of a state, actually making several consecutive mistakes that gave O'Sullivan an opportunity.
Honestly, O'Sullivan is no slouch either, easily scoring 8 points, just like taking a calming pill.
It can be seen that O'Sullivan immediately seized this opportunity, steadily scoring 56 points, overtaking the score, and successfully winning this round.
Although Higgins' mentality was a bit unbalanced, he is not someone who gives up easily.
In the second round, Higgins quickly found his footing and began to adjust his state.
Indeed, the veterans of the ball field are different, once the feel returns, the whole person is like changing modes.
Starting with a 7-1 lead, that state is simply breathtaking.
Subsequently, Higgins continued to exert himself, scoring the first century break of the game, directly taking 102 points!
He turned the tide in one breath, leveling the score to 1-1.
At that moment, I was really excited for him, Higgins truly lives up to his title as the Wizard, he really has some skills!
Some netizens also commented on social media: This is the true style of a veteran, although the first round was in poor form, but not in a hurry, the second round made a century break, really a master among masters!
O'Sullivan was somewhat suppressed by him.
Indeed, although O'Sullivan looked relaxed in the first round, from the start of the second round, Higgins' state recovered very quickly, truly demonstrating his strength.
O'Sullivan's response was also quick, when he was leveled by Higgins, he must have thought that he needed to adjust quickly and not let the game lose the initiative.
O'Sullivan's mentality and technique cannot be underestimated, this game still has great uncertainty.
O'Sullivan and Higgins, these two names are almost synonymous with legends in the snooker world.
Honestly, just having them stand together is enough to make the game full of story.
This year's O'Sullivan, although there were some fluctuations in form, and did not achieve ideal performances in ranking matches, his performance in exhibition matches is still highly anticipated.
In the Macau Masters, he won £275,000 with five consecutive victories, and his form is still hot.
Some netizens also commented: Although O'Sullivan's ranking is unstable, in exhibition matches, he is that kind of presence that cannot be ignored, watching him play is a pleasure!
In comparison, Higgins' performance this season has been relatively better, especially in the British Open, where he could reach the final, this form and strength also makes him more confident.
His ups and downs are also obvious, such as in today's first round, he encountered some fluctuations.
For experienced veterans like him, this kind of fluctuation is not a big problem.
What's important is that he can quickly return in the second round, which is also one of his consistent strengths.
In future competitions, Higgins' goal is still to ensure that he maintains his TOP16 position, so this game is of great significance to him.
If he can continue to maintain his form and break his three-game losing streak against O'Sullivan, it would undoubtedly be a huge boost for Higgins.
Some netizens expressed after watching the game: If Higgins wins this game and breaks O'Sullivan's winning streak, it is too important for his morale, and he will be more confident in subsequent games!
Speaking of O'Sullivan, although he had some fluctuations in ranking matches this season, his performance in exhibition matches has always been impeccable.
As the rocket of snooker, every shot he takes has astonishing precision and speed, especially in the handling of long-range shots and safety shots, always giving people a feeling of ease.
Even if his form fluctuates slightly, he can still burst out with strong power at critical moments.
Watching this game, it's not hard to find that whether it's O'Sullivan or Higgins, they are both very respectable veterans.
Their calmness, composure, and sharpness on the table are really admirable.
Every shot is not only about fighting for points, but also about interpreting their love and dedication to this sport.
The game has not yet ended, who will win the final victory is really hard to say.
O'Sullivan's stability and control over the game are still there, but Higgins also has the ability to counterattack at critical moments.
The current situation is really impossible to predict in advance, we'll have to continue watching to see who laughs last.
Some netizens also summarized: It doesn't matter who wins or loses in this game between the two players, what matters is that they gave us such an exciting game, it's really too enjoyable!
After the game, everyone's expectations for this matchup have not diminished, but rather increased, looking forward even more to the next performances of these two bigwigs.
Especially for O'Sullivan, although his performance in ranking matches is sometimes good and sometimes bad, his exhibition match form is always amazing.
And Higgins, as the 14th-ranked player, although in the later stages of his career, he still maintains strong competitiveness and an indomitable spirit.
Who knows how many surprises they can bring us in the coming season?