John Higgins loses 10-1 against Zhao Xingtong in Tour Championship

John Higgins suffered the heaviest defeat of his 34-year career as he lost 10-1 to Zhao Xingtong in the semi-finals of the Tour Championship in Manchester.

The defending champion was swept aside by China’s Zhao, who racked up 11 breaks over 50 including one century.

The four-time world champion avoided failing to win a single frame when he took the 10th with Zhao on the verge of victory.

But Higgins’ reprieve was brief as the reigning world champion wrapped up victory in the following frame with a break of 85 and he will now face world number one Judd Trump in Sunday’s final.

The 50-year-old has twice lost by a margin of nine frames before – 13-4 against Stephen Hendry at the 2012 World Championship and 18-9 against Judd Trump in the 2019 Crucible final – but had never experienced such an emphatic defeat in a best-of-19 contest.

“I played well and I am very happy to reach the final,” said Zhao.

“My cueing was very good. I tried not to think too much – I just enjoyed the table and concentrated on the balls.

“This season I have been in four finals and I am enjoying every moment and trying to get better.

“To play Judd in a final for the first time will be a big moment for me. It will be very tough.”

The 29-year-old moved into his sixth ranking final having won his first five – a feat only previously achieved by Steve Davis, Mark Williams and Neil Robertson.

Zhao is trying to become the first player to win all three events in the Players Series in the same season, having triumphed in both the World Grand Prix and Players Championship in February.

He is guaranteed to move to a career-high fourth place in the world ranking regardless of the result of Sunday’s final, which will be his first meeting with Trump at this stage of a tournament.