JOHN HIGGINS claimed his second totesport.com Welsh Open title with a 9-4 victory over defending champion Ali Carter in yesterday’s final at the Newport Centre.

The reigning world champion had entered the evening session 6-2 ahead after dominating the afternoon’s proceedings in Gwent.

And the Scot moved 7-2 ahead thanks to a break of 72, putting him within two frames of victory and leaving Carter looking down the barrel of a heavy defeat.

But Carter fought back bravely with a break of 60 to reduce the deficit before winning an astonishing 11th frame.

Higgins opened with a break of 72, missing a tough frame ball after potting nine reds and nine blacks and concentrating on a possible 147 maximum, only for Essex player Carter to complete a clearance of 73 to clinch the frame and make it 7-4.

But Higgins extinguished any hopes of a fightback as he took the next frame with a break of 40, but only after being given a scare when Carter’s first attempted pot saw a red rattle in the jaws of the middle pocket before rebounding across the table into the opposite pocket.

Carter eventually made 36 but Higgins came through a tense safety battle to prevail.

Higgins secured his victory with a break of 76 in the 13th and final frameand said: ‘‘That’s the best I have ever felt. I was zoned in and I am delighted with how I played.”