Since his debut in 1992, John Higgins has established himself as one of the greatest snooker players of all time. He has been a fixture among the top 16 for an impressive 28 years, a record for any player. With 31 ranking titles to his name, he is only surpassed by Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry. Higgins has won four Crucible crowns, two Masters titles, and three UK Championship victories.
Reflecting on his career, Higgins believes he has both under and overachieved. In his early days, he was winning big tournaments and was one of the top players in the game. Looking back, he feels he could have done more. However, now in his late 40s and still playing at a high level, he feels he has surpassed his expectations. Higgins has always approached big matches with trepidation and fear, and this has not changed over the years.
Higgins’ rivalry with O’Sullivan has been a constant throughout his career. They have played each other 70 times, with O’Sullivan winning 37 and Higgins winning 33. Their matches include the 2001 World Championship final and the 2006 Masters, where Higgins won with a memorable deciding frame clearance. Higgins has always had a healthy respect for O’Sullivan’s talent and believes he has cemented his place as the greatest snooker player of all time.
Higgins has also had a notable rivalry with Judd Trump, one of the current stars of the game. As he has spanned eras, Higgins has seen the tail end of the great days of Davis and Hendry and remained at the top during the rise of players like Selby, Robertson, and Trump. Despite his success, Higgins now enjoys snooker for what it is and is happy to simply be a part of it.
Trump and the Wizard of Wishaw have faced each other in two Crucible finals, each winning one. Their first encounter was in 2011 when Trump, a flamboyant 21-year-old, introduced a new style of snooker. The final session was emotionally charged, with Higgins prevailing 18-15 despite having lost his father earlier that year. In 2019, Trump won his first world title, defeating Higgins 18-9.
Higgins praised Trump’s attacking style and expressed his enjoyment of playing against him and Ronnie O’Sullivan. He fondly remembered the atmosphere of the 2011 final, which he considers his most memorable win. Despite being ranked in the world’s top ten, Higgins has suffered several painful defeats in recent seasons, including two semi-final losses to Trump. He remains hungry for success and is determined to end his silverware drought, hoping to lift a trophy in front of fans once again.
