Players Championship snooker match suspended as crowd asked to evacuate after medical emergency

Players Championship snooker match suspended as crowd asked to evacuate after medical emergency

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Stuart Ballard

By Stuart Ballard


Published: 23/02/2024

- 13:50

Updated: 05/03/2024

- 17:07

ITV have confirmed the spectator who required treatment was able to walk out of the arena.

The Players Championship quarter-final between John Higgins and Zhang Anda was briefly suspended due to a medical emergency in the crowd.

The quarter-final contest was midway through the opening frame when a problem became apparent in the crowd.


Play was halted before everyone was asked to leave the arena as medics arrived on the scene.

ITV commentators confirmed the medical emergency was taking place as they attended to the person in need.

John Higgins' match was briefly suspended

John Higgins' match was briefly suspended

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The World Snooker Tour also released a statement on social media that read: "Spectators and both players have left the arena after someone in the crowd has been taken ill."

ITV cut to a short break before returning with the crowd beginning to filter back into the arena.

ITV snooker presenter Jill Douglas confirmed the spectator who required medical treatment was able to "walk out of the arena".

Play got back underway shortly after with the first frame still finely poised.

Higgins and Zhang had been at the practice tables during the short interval to keep themselves fresh.

Higgins and Zhang are playing in the last quarter-final match of the tournament and the winner will face Mark Selby in the next round.

The four-time world champion made light work of his quarter-final contest against world No 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Selby needed just one hour and 40 minutes to whitewash O'Sullivan 6-0 in one of his best displays against the 'Rocket'.

Players returned to the table shortly after

Players returned to the table shortly after

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The 40-year-old paid tribute to O'Sullivan after the match and admitted that beating him in such a manner made him "very pleased".

"You don't have to say anything about Ronnie, he's the greatest of all time.

"But if I'd have landed perfectly on the black to play on the red and then refused it and played the snooker, even just little signs like that, I know I'm 5-0 up, but Ronnie might think 'He doesn't fancy it'.

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"If you aren't going to go for it at 5-0 up then when are you going to go for it?

"To beat Ronnie in any tournament by any scoreline is a great victory but to beat him in the way I did, the way I scored, my safety was good, long game was good, very, very pleased.

"At the back end of the game against [Barry] Hawkins, I felt as if I'd got a bit of confidence, I was striking the shots a lot better, seeing the shots a lot better, being a lot more positive and I just managed to carry that on into today's game."

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