John Higgins ends 13-month title drought by retaining Championship League snooker title with win over Judd Trump

John Higgins completed a 3-1 win over Judd Trump in the Championship League final on Thursday to defend the invitational title and end a 13-month wait for a tournament victory in Leicester. The Scotsman emulated his 3-2 win over Stuart Bingham in the same event last February by firing seven centuries over two days in a deserved victory at the city's Morningside Arena.

Ad It is his fourth Championship League title triumph since 2017. SnookerWatch Robertson produce magic as Trump leads final Championship League groupA DAY AGO Higgins watched European Masters winner Kyren Wilson move 2-0 clear in the semi-finals with breaks of 137 and 85 before reeling off three straight frames to book his spot in the final with knocks of 86, 61 and 66.

The four-time world champion produced breaks of 62 and 78 in the final with Trump restoring parity at 1-1 courtesy of a 100 break, the 899th century of his career, in the second frame before Higgins dominated the fourth frame to seal his success. The win secures the world No.

11 a £10,000 winner's cheque and a spot in the Champion of Champions in November but perhaps more importantly will boost his confidence ahead of his quest for a fifth world crown at the Crucible in Sheffield next month. Trump had topped the winners' group on five points, but his only defeat of the section came against Higgins earlier on Thursday in a 3-2 reverse that was a sign of things to come as he produced 83 and 62 with his opponent responding courtesy of 89, 57, 100 and 75.

A 3-1 win over Xiao Guodong saw Higgins continue his heavy-scoring streak to claim third spot in the group in making breaks of 65, 116 and a sparkling 144, the highest of the group, after Xiao had opened with a fine 79 of his own. Trump enjoyed