Nigeria women’s national under-20 football team moved closer to qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after defeating Malawi women’s national under-20 football team 2-0 in the first leg of their qualifier on Saturday in Ikenne.
The Nigerian side struggled to break down Malawi in the opening half as both teams went into the break without a goal.
Just moments after the restart, the Falconets took the lead when a dangerous cross into the penalty area caused confusion in Malawi’s defence, forcing Kenneth Maureen to score an own goal.
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Nigeria continued to push forward and doubled their advantage 10 minutes later through Ifeanyi Kindness. The forward calmly rounded the goalkeeper before placing the ball into the empty net.
Coach Moses Aduku and his players will now head into the second leg with confidence as they aim to complete qualification for the tournament.
Nigeria are chasing one of Africa’s four tickets for the competition and remain one of the most successful teams in the history of the tournament.
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The Falconets have qualified for every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and finished as runners-up twice, losing to Germany women’s national under-20 football team in the finals of 2010 and 2014.
The 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will take place in Poland from September 5 to September 27, 2026.
The Big Ten Conference announced a record $1.37 billion distribution to its 18 member institutions for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, marking the largest payout in league history as college athletics continues its financial surge. The conference said Friday the total represents a $490 million increase from the $883 million distributed in the previous fiscal year.
The Big Ten Officials attributed the jump to the first full year of the Big Ten’s new media rights agreements, continued revenue growth from College Football Playoff expansion and the conference’s first season as an 18-team league following the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington.
“The distributions provide meaningful support to institutions in their continued effort to provide broad-based athletic opportunities to more than 14,000 Big Ten student-athletes,” the conference said in a release.
On average, the Big Ten distributed about $76.1 million per school, though individual totals varied based on postseason performance and other revenue factors. Sixteen full-share members received different amounts based on postseason participation and other revenue factors.
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Ohio State led all schools with $91.57 million after winning the College Football Playoff title during the 2024 season, while Penn State received $88.92 million after its postseason run. Other fully vested members generally received between roughly $76 million and $80 million. Oregon and Washington, still on partial revenue shares through 2030, received $48.4 million and $46.7 million, respectively, according to conference figures.
The Big Ten’s financial growth continues to outpace other Power Four conferences. In February, the SEC reported distributing more than $1.03 billion to its 16 members for fiscal year 2024-25, averaging $72.4 million per school.
Below is a look at recent reported conference revenue and distributions:
Average revenue distribution per school by fiscal year
Big Ten
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$63.2 million*
$76.1 million
SEC
$52.6 million
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$72.4 million
* Approximate to 12 long-standing members
The Big Ten’s rise reflects broader changes across college athletics, driven by escalating media rights deals and expanded postseason formats that have reshaped revenue streams nationwide. The conference is now in the first full year of its current television agreement, which generates more than $1 billion annually, according to the league.
The league also pointed to continued competitive success across sports, including recent national championships in football and men’s basketball as well as multiple NCAA titles across its member schools during the current academic cycle.
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As discussions around further playoff expansion and ongoing conference realignment continue, the Big Ten’s latest financial report underscores the accelerating economic scale of college sports.
When the Milwaukee Bucks were soliciting offers for Giannis Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline, the Portland Trail Blazers were viewed, at the very least, as an ideal facilitator to such a deal. They control Milwaukee’s first-round picks in 2028, 2029 and 2030, so any team hoping to deal with the Bucks would probably like to deal with Portland first in order to secure those picks for Milwaukee. As negotiations dragged on, the Blazers themselves reportedly entered the fray. No deal was struck, but with new owner Tom Dundon taking over, it seems as though the Blazers are eager to get back into the mix.
According to Jake Fischer, “the Blazers are expected to emerge as a prime trade suitor for Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo.” Antetokounmpo’s fate in Milwaukee has not yet been settled, but with Bucks owner Wes Edens saying that Milwaukee would either extend Antetokounmpo or trade him, the ball is now in his court. If he ultimately elects not to re-sign, the sweepstakes officially begin.
There is an obvious hangup here, though, and it relates to Antetokounmpo’s expiring contract. We don’t know how willing he would be to re-sign with Portland, or any team, and giving up a haul for a player who might leave after a year is an enormous risk. If Antetokounmpo directs the proceedings toward another team, Portland may or may not be willing to risk bringing him in anyway. This snag has been well-known since February, and it factors into just about every star trade in the modern NBA.
However, there is one specific way in which these negotiations will differ from previous deals for superstars. Because of the NBA’s impending reforms to the draft lottery, those Milwaukee picks suddenly aren’t as valuable as they looked a few months ago.
In the past, there were no more valuable draft picks to a team than its own. Those are the only picks you can theoretically control. If you have the worst record in the NBA, under the current system, you can draft no lower than No. 5. This was the primary appeal to the Bucks of a possible trade with Portland. Getting those picks back would have meant regaining their ability to tank. The Brooklyn Nets just did this with the Houston Rockets back in 2024, turning a bounty of deep future picks into control of their own selections in 2025 and 2026 back from the James Harden trade.
But in the new world, in which no team will have better than 8.1% odds at the No. 1 pick and the three worst teams will enter the lottery in the so-called “relegation zone” that comes with worse odds, regaining control of your own picks just isn’t as powerful. You can’t aggressively tank for top picks when your odds are that low. The proposed lottery only has a floor of the top 12 for the bottom three teams, and everyone else can pick as low as No. 16. Milwaukee would still have some control over those picks. The Bucks could work to ensure they land between No. 4 and No. 10 to maximize their odds. But that’s a far trickier tank to plan than just losing as many games as possible, and even if it was successfully executed, it wouldn’t create nearly as much expected value as a traditional tank.
Now, does this rule out a Portland trade? Of course not. The Blazers could still put a very compelling package on the table. Those Bucks picks could be a part of it, and other assets Portland has suddenly look more valuable. Take the 2028 Orlando pick the Blazers got on draft night. With the Magic hovering around the middle of a suddenly crowded Eastern Conference, that pick has more upside moving forward than it did when Portland acquired it. Portland’s own picks are arguably more valuable for the same reason, and the Blazers have a wealth of young players to offer Milwaukee as well.
If Portland can secure a commitment for an extension, or if it is willing to trade for Antetokounmpo without one, the Blazers have the tools to potentially pull this off. It just isn’t the slam dunk it might have been at the deadline. Those Bucks picks are no longer golden bullets in these negotiations. Milwaukee might value veteran star power for specific picks more, or it might value draft picks from other teams nearly as much. Given the sheer number of surprising early exits this postseason, the bidding is probably going to be wild, so every minimal advantage matters. Portland still has one, it just isn’t nearly as big as it looked a few months ago.
Apr 30, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov (97) and forward Vladimir Tarasenko (91) celebrate a series win against the Dallas Stars after game six in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
The celebration Thursday was a decade in the making for the Minnesota Wild, but now the road gets tougher. Minnesota eliminated the Dallas Stars in six games to advance for the first time since 2015, and the reward is taking on the Colorado Avalanche, the Presidents’ Trophy winners, in the second round.
Game 1 is Sunday night in Denver.
The series will mark the fourth time the organizations will clash in the postseason, and each time the lower seed has prevailed. The Wild won two Game 7s in Denver (2003, 2014) and Colorado beat Minnesota in six games in 2008. They split their four games during the regular season.
The Wild were bounced in the first round in their previous eight playoff appearances but got by Dallas in a matchup of two of the best teams in the NHL. They go against a fresh Avalanche team that completed a sweep of the first-round series with Los Angeles a week ago.
While Colorado rested, Minnesota earned some valuable experience.
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“I think you learn so much throughout those other playoff series. Not that I’m old, but I feel like I was young during those and didn’t know what to expect or what the expectation was and stuff,” Wild forward Matt Boldy said. “I think it was just a group of guys that were ready to take that step.”
Minnesota has the talent to compete with the Avalanche, who finished the regular season with a franchise-record 121 points. The Wild, led by Kirill Kaprizov’s 89 points in the regular season (45 goals, 44 assists), have depth in their top lines and a superstar defenseman in Quinn Hughes.
Colorado is arguably the deepest team in the league when healthy. Nathan MacKinnon led the NHL in goals with 53 and was third in points (127), and Martin Necas recorded the first 100-point season of his career (38 goals, 62 assists).
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The Avalanche’s projected third line could be a first line on other teams. Nazem Kadri, Gabriel Landeskog and Nicolas Roy were impactful in the sweep of the Kings and can jump up when coach Jared Bednar sees a need for more offense.
Landeskog tied with MacKinnon for the scoring lead against Los Angeles with four points (two goals, two assists) and Roy contributed two goals — including one in overtime in Game 2.
“(Roy and Kadri) find areas to get the puck to the net, which is great, and they read off each other really well,” defenseman Cale Makar said.
Both teams are dealing with injuries. Minnesota defenseman Jonas Brodin, who missed Game 6 against Dallas, did not travel to Denver and will miss Game 1. Center Joel Eriksson Ek is questionable for Sunday. Brodin blocked a shot in Game 5, and Eriksson Ek lost an edge and slammed hard into the side boards right-leg first in the third period of Game 6.
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Colorado defenseman Josh Manson (upper body) went through a full practice on Saturday and is likely to play.
The biggest key is in net, and both goaltenders are playing well. Scott Wedgewood allowed just five goals in the first round against the Kings, and Wild rookie Jesper Wallstedt had a 2.05 goals-against average in the first round series.
Golden Tempo captured the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, marking a historic first for female trainers.
The 3-year-old bay thoroughbred colt charged down the final stretch in the 1 1/8-mile race to give trainer Cherie DeVaux her first Triple Crown race victory. She became the first female trainer to ever win the Kentucky Derby and just the second ever to win a Triple Crown race.
Golden Tempo (19) ridden by Jose L. Ortiz wins the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky.(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
“I don’t even have any words right now,” an emotional DeVaux said on the NBC broadcast after upsetting the race to overcome early favorite Renegade.
Jockey Jose Ortiz won the Derby for the first time in his career. It was his 11th attempt, and he beat out his brother Irad, who rode the Todd Pletcher-trained colt.
Renegade nearly became the first Derby winner out of the inside No. 1 post position in four decades after pulling away from the pack in the final stretch, but it wasn’t enough to overpower Golden Tempo’s final strides.
Cherie DeVaux, trainer of Golden Tempo #19, celebrates after becoming the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby during the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 02, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
“It’s not the one we would have chosen,” Pletcher said before the race, foreshadowing its result. “It’s not ideal, but it’s what we got and we’ll do the best we can with it.”
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The field was reduced to 19 instead of the maximum 20 early Saturday morning after The Puma was scratched due to a skin infection. He was ruled out past the deadline for a replacement, leaving Corona de Ora out of the field.
Silent Tactic, Fulleffort and Right to Party were all scratched in the last four days, but were replaced by Great White, Ocelli and Robusta.
But just before race time, the field was further reduced to 18 after Great White was scratched after flipping over as the others were loading up.
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Jockey Jose Ortiz of Golden Tempo celebrates in the winner’s circle after winning the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 02, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky.(Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Track conditions were much better this year as opposed to last year, when Sovereignty crossed the finish line covered in mud after rain poured down at Churchill Downs. According to the historic race venue, the track conditions were fast with good visibility and low precipitation just an hour before post time.
But the weather was much chillier than years past at 54 degrees just an hour before race time. According to the FOX Forecast Center, the average high in Louisville this time of year is 74 degrees.
According to data from the National Weather Service in Louisville, the coldest Derby Day on record was on May 4, 1940, and May 4, 1957, when temps reached 36 degrees and were accompanied by 20 to 25 mph winds.
“I’m disappointed, but what can you do. As you get older, your action starts to go a little bit at the most extreme points of the match.
“But, take nothing away, Shaun was awesome and he’s got a great chance of going on to win it for a second time.”
Resuming the final session 13-11 in arrears, Murphy started in scintillating fashion with two total clearances to haul level, only for Higgins to chisel out the next two to restore his two-frame lead.
Murphy’s fourth century of the match sparked another surge after the interval and, as Higgins began to miss some easy balls, the Englishman went into overdrive, winning the last four in a row to confirm victory.
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China’s Wu Yize will face Murphy in Sunday’s final after Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen missed a simple black to secure victory before falling 17-16.
Murphy was full of praise for Higgins.
“I just came out today knowing, if I got my chances, I could score,” he said. “At the interval, I was just saying to myself, ‘you’ve done it before, now you can do it again’.
“But John Higgins – what a player and what a man. The harder it gets out there, the tougher he gets and the better he plays.
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“If I’m half the player when I’m in my 50s, I’ll be very proud.”
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts to his score against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Boston Celtics will have to face the Philadelphia 76ers in a do-or-die Game 7 without star Jayson Tatum, who will be sidelined for Saturday night’s game with left knee stiffness.
Tatum did not play in the last 15 minutes of Thursday’s Game 6 — a 106-93 loss to the Sixers in Eastern Conference first-round play — and was riding an exercise bike in the hall during the fourth quarter.
Tatum appeared to downplay the issue after the game, telling reporters, “You guys probably saw when I went to the back, saw me on the bike. My leg just was a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter. But just kind of assessing the moment, the game was a little out of reach.”
The sore knee is not related to last May’s devastating ruptured right Achilles tendon, Tatum said. That injury knocked him out in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks and kept him off the court until March 6 of this season.
“It was my other leg, not the one I injured last year,” Tatum said Thursday. “I mean, I wasn’t like overly concerned. … I came out at four minutes, like I was supposed to. Just kind of assessed the game. (Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla) took the starters out fairly early in the fourth quarter.”
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Mazzulla told reporters on a conference call Friday afternoon that Tatum would be available for Game 7, and Tatum said at Thursday’s postgame press conference, “I expect to play.”
Tatum has averaged 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game in the series against the Sixers.
In Game 3, Tatum became the fourth player in Celtics history to top 3,000 career postseason points. Tatum (3,076) trails three legends — Kevin McHale (3,182), John Havlicek (3,776) and leader Larry Bird (3,897).
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Tatum, 28, is a six-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA first-team selection and a two-time Olympic gold-medal winner for Team USA. Through 601 career NBA games, Tatum is averaging 23.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists.
For the Sixers, Paul George was listed as probable with an illness for the game on his 36th birthday. Joel Embiid (post appendectomy) also is listed as probable, while Tyrese Maxey (finger) is available.
Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine celebrates the victory after winning against Mirra Andreeva during Women’s Singles final match on Day thirteen of the Mutua Madrid Open 2026, ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tournament celebrates at La Caja Magica on May 1, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Marta Kostyuk defeated Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 7-5 to win the Madrid Open title.
It is the first WTA 1000 title of Kostyuk’s career and the biggest win of her career at 23 years old. She is now on a 12-match winning streak and remains undefeated on clay this season (12-0). The win also marks her third career title.
After the match, Kostyuk said: “It feels unbelievable to stand here right now. It took me many years to reach this point. One word I think about right now is consistency. It’s showing up every day, no matter how hard it is.”
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She added: “I’m very proud of myself and my team. Only we know how much we went through and how many times I wanted to give up. You kept me going. That’s why I’m here today.”
Mirra Andreeva also congratulated her opponent, saying: “I’d like to congratulate Marta and the team for this amazing win today. You’re playing very well. Congrats for the win.”
Andreeva also thanked her team after the match: “Thanks to my team for always being there for me and supporting me at all times. I really appreciate everything you do for me.”
The names of the five people who were killed in the Central Texas plane crash that was taking a pickleball team to a tournament have been revealed.
On board the flight were four Amarillo Pickleball Club players from Amarillo, Texas, Hayden Dillard, Seren Wilson, Brooke Skypala, and Stacy Hedrick, along with pilot Justin Appling.
A crashed Cessna airplane is seen in a wooded area on Round Rock Road in Wimberley, Texas, Friday, May 1, 2026. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Dan Dyer, president of the Amarillo Pickleball Club, said he’d played many games with four of the five people who died.
“I’ve handed them medals. They were excellent players. They were out to win some games,” Dyer said. “Every weekend there are dozens of tournaments. Some people get the bug; others don’t. But once they do, they’ll travel for a tournament.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigators are on scene and serving as the lead investigative agencies, DPS said in its Saturday release.
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But the cause of the crash has yet to be determined.
The plane crashed in Wimberley, a city 40 miles southwest of Austin, at 11 p.m. Thursday.
A crashed Cessna airplane is seen in a wooded area on Round Rock Road in Wimberley, Texas, on May 1, 2026.(Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)
Dyer said a second plane was traveling to the event from Amarillo at the same time. Authorities said it landed safely at the airport in New Braunfels, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of San Antonio.
“I haven’t heard anything from him,” the pilot of the second plane said, according to air traffic control audio.
A controller responded, “He started to move erratically, and now his track is disappeared from the scope. So, we want to make sure everything’s all right with him.”
At least one pilot in the area confirmed the troubled plane’s locator emergency device had emitted a distress signal. The controller called 911.
It was mostly cloudy in the New Braunfels area shortly before the crash, and there was a thunderstorm two hours later, the National Weather Service said.
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A Cessna airplane crashed in a wooded area on Round Rock Road in Wimberley, Texas, on May 1, 2026.(Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman/AP)
Wimberley, with a population of about 3,000, and New Braunfels, with a population of about 116,000, are tourist destinations in the Texas Hill Country.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
India will be without the services of Lakshya Sen during their semifinal clash against France in the Thomas Cup Finals as he is recovering from a swollen right elbow.
The 24-year-old Lakshya had saved two match points to script an 18-21 22-20 21-17 victory over world No. 6 Chou Tien Chen in a marathon clash lasting one hour and 28 minutes, as India notched up a commanding 3-0 win over Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals.
However, the Commonwealth Games champion hurt his elbow while diving for a shot during an intense rally.
“Lakshya is dealing with a swollen playing arm, particularly around the elbow, after his fall in yesterday’s match against Chou Tien Chen. He is also struggling with blisters on his feet,” former India coach and his mentor Vimal Kumar told PTI.
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With Lakshya unavailable, young Ayush Shetty will play the opening singles against world No. 4 Christo Popov, who had defeated the Indian in their only meeting at the Hylo Open in 2024.
World No. 30 Kidambi Srikanth, who had won six matches during India’s title run in 2022, will feature in the second singles against world No. 10 Alex Lanier.
HS Prannoy, who has delivered as a third singles player, will then take on world No. 17 Toma Junior Popov, who has a 1-0 head-to-head record against the Indian, having beaten him at the All England Championships in 2025.
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If the tie extends beyond the singles, Hariharan Amsakarunan and M R Arjun are slated to face Eloi Adam and Leo Rossi in the first doubles.
In the concluding match, world No. 4 pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will take on the Popov brothers.
“I dont think it is a set back, we have a good team, every one is confident and if we can pull this match, hopefully Lakshya will be available for the final,” Badminton Association of India (BAI) secretary Sanjay Mishra said.
Under tournament regulations, ties generally follow player rankings, with the highest-ranked singles and doubles players from each team facing their counterparts.
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However, if players are scheduled to compete in both singles and doubles, they must complete their singles matches before pairing up in doubles.
In France’s case, this means all three singles matches will be played first, followed by the doubles.
India are assured of a medal after reaching the semifinals. The country had won the Thomas Cup in 2022 and also claimed bronze medals in 1952, 1955 and 1979.
Mark Allen missed a simple black to book his place in his first World Snooker Championship final before falling 17-16 to Wu Yize in one of the most dramatic last-four finishes in Crucible history.
The 40-year-old Antrim man had the match at his mercy when he got on top of an error-strewn 32nd frame and required just the black off its spot to wrap up a 17-15 win.
But incredibly Allen rattled the pocket, leaving Wu an unexpected chance to haul level at 16-16 and set up a pressure-filled decider in front of a raucous Sheffield crowd.
Allen shut out his nightmare brilliantly, easing into a 47-point lead before an unlucky split on the reds left him out of position and ultimately let in the nerveless 22-year-old to cue up a brilliant 71 clearance to win 17-16 and set up a final against Shaun Murphy.
Shell-shocked Allen told BBC Sport: “You don’t deserve to be in a world final if you’re missing balls like that. It was just pure pressure, to be honest.
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“Even though I’m devastated to lose that match I think the right person’s in the final. The way he plays is great for the game, he scores heavily and pots some ridiculous long balls. He’s going to win many world titles.”
Saturday’s last two sessions provided a stunning antidote to Friday night’s notorious 100-minute frame that former champion Steve Davis had dubbed an “embarrassment”.
In a session that saw two swift re-racks, Allen consistently nudged one frame clear only to be hauled back repeatedly by the free-scoring Chinese star, who drilled long reds and seemed almost impervious to the mounting pressure.
The pivotal moment looked to have arrived in frame 30 when Wu missed a simple red to the middle, letting Allen move to the brink of victory at 16-14 – only for the irresistible Wu to fire back and force the dramatic conclusion.
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Earlier, Murphy twice overturned a two-frame deficit in the final session against Higgins as he was forced to dredge up his best form to see off the 50-year-old Scot.
Their clash looked nailed-on for a decider until Higgins fluffed a black on a break of 50, gifting Murphy the chance to get over the line at the second attempt.
Murphy told the BBC: “I just came out today knowing if I got my chances I could score. At the interval I was just saying to myself, ‘you’ve done it before, now you can do it again’.
“But John Higgins – what a player and what a man. The harder it gets out there, the tougher he gets and the better he plays. If I’m half the player when I’m in my 50s, I’ll be very proud.”
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Resuming the final session 13-11 in arrears, Murphy started in scintillating fashion with two total clearances to haul level, only for the Scot to chisel out the next two to restore his two-frame lead.
Murphy’s fourth century of the match sparked another surge after the interval, and as Higgins began to miss some easy balls, the 43-year-old Murphy went into overdrive, winning the last four in a row to confirm victory.
Higgins paid tribute to Murphy, saying: “The way Shaun hit the ball in that session was incredible. He just hits it like God.
“I’m disappointed but what can you do. As you get older your action starts to go a little bit at the most extreme points of the match, but take nothing away, Shaun was awesome and he’s got a great chance of going on to win it for a second time.”
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