Higgins edges out Swail

Joe Swail fought back to level at 4-4 against Higgins

John Higgins held off a determined fightback by Joe Swail to book a quarter-final place at the Thailand Masters in Bangkok.

Higgins, helped by a tournament record break of 145, seemed to be coasting to victory when he led 4-1.

However, Swail then battled back to level the match at 4-4.

But former world champion Higgins regained his composure to hit a break of 52 in the final change which snuffed out Swail's attempted comeback.

James is a great player and it hurts me to see him like that

Ronnie O'Sullivan

Higgins' total clearance, his highest in a ranking event, overtook Stephen Hendry's 143 from 1993 and will earn him a bonus of £5,200 if it remains the highest of the event.

In a first round encounter, Ronnie O'Sullivan defeated local favourite James Wattana 5-2 to earn a place in the last 16.

World champion O'Sullivan, whose highest break was a 94 in the final frame, said afterwards that he was sorry for having handed another setback to the career of the Thai star.

"James is a great player but he is struggling and it hurts me to see him like that," said O'Sullivan.

Wattana, the world number 32, but who has slipped to 37th on the provisional list, said: "The biggest problem I had was missing the important balls.

"It's something I must work on when I return to the UK to get ready for my world championship qualifier in Newport next week."