Higgins: Big win

In some frames I felt I had 90 chances to win it, and yet I couldn't put it away. If you don't put your chances away, even at amateur level, then you're going to get beat.

Stephen Hendry
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John Higgins emerged with a victory from his all-Scottish encounter with Stephen Hendry in Glasgow, while Ding Junhui also made the quarter-finals by beating Michael Holt.

Neither Higgins nor Hendry wowed the home crowd at the Grand prix in Glasgow, but it was Higgins who booked his place in the last eight courtesy of a 5-2 victory.

Three-time Grand Prix champion Hendry was struggling for any sort of form, and breaks of 127, 75 and 66 were enough for Higgins to make it through.

Hendry did hit a century during the match but his search for a first ranking event title since 2005 continues, but there were few highlights in a scrappy encounter.

"It was a scrappy match, but it was whoever got their nose in front who was going to win," said Higgins.

"Whoever stamped their authority early on was going to be the favourite and, thankfully, it was me.

"The two of us were nervous. He was struggling as well, he was coming up short a lot of times on the cue ball, which is a symptom of someone lacking confidence.

"I scored okay, but it's still taking me two or three chances to get in and score. Against form players you don't normally get that many chances."

Struggling

The two Scots have seven Grand Prix titles between them but did not put on the show the Scottish crowd wanted, and Hendry admits he is struggling.

"The last four or five seasons I've made lots of unforced errors unfortunately," said Hendry.

"Before the match I felt fantastic, I wasn't missing a ball on the practice table and I've been timing everything beautifully.

"But then I go out in the arena and then it disappears for some reason. It's very frustrating.

"There were easier draws, but John was there for the taking. He didn't look comfortable either, he looked very nervous to me.

"But for some reason I didn't have the form to capitalise on his mistakes. In some frames I felt I had 90 chances to win it, and yet I couldn't put it away.

"If you don't put your chances away, even at amateur level, then you're going to get beat."

Ding, Trump progress

Chinese superstar Ding Junhui joined Higgins in the last eight after he comprehensively out-pointed Englishman Michael Holt 5-2 in their match.

'The Hitman' did rattle in breaks of 105 and 60, but three-time ranking event winner Ding was too strong with a century of his own, a 129, along with runs of 56 and 69 helping him through.

In the evening session, Bristol teenager Judd Trump pulled off a 5-2 victory over Joe Perry.

From 2-1 behind, the 19-year-old reeled off four frames on the bounce to see off the challenge of Perry.

His potting under pressure was impressive - the final three frames of the match all went down to the colours, and on each occasion it was Trump who prevailed.

Steve Davis is also through to the next round after holding his nerve against qualifier Adrian Gunnell.

The 51-year-old, a three-time Grand Prix winner, had looked comfortable as he opened up 3-0 lead before Gunnell fought back to level.

The Nuggett, though, dug in to secure a 5-4 victory - despite only managing a top break of 44.