Higgins edges out Cope in classic

John Higgins recovered from 12-10 down to beat Jamie Cope in the final frame and earn a meeting with Mark Selby in the World Championship quarter-finals.

Higgins also needed to deal with a time-out in the final frame when a spectator required medical treatment.

"At 11-9 down it wasn't looking too good," the Scot told BBC Sport. "But I got a few texts from my wife and she spurred me on so that was great."

Selby, who beat 2006 champion Graeme Dott 13-10, had an easier match.

Higgins and Cope resumed on Monday level at 8-8 in their second-round tussle after a lively start to the match.

The 23-year-old qualifier from Stoke started the strongest, taking an 11-9 lead at the mid-session interval with a break of 82 in the 20th frame.

The 1998 and 2007 champion hit back to win the next frame, but a run of 103 from Cope left him one frame away from a shock victory.

"I thought I'd got him at 12-10. But I just didn't take the chance," the world number 19, who upset Joe Perry in the first round, said later.

A break of 96 from Higgins reduced the deficit to 12-11, before he prevailed in a nervous 22nd frame after a brief delay while the first of two spectators received treatment for dehydration.

Read in full at the BBC