The 2024 Masters race is set to commence.
John Higgins returns to York for the UK Championship, expressing his hunger for silverware.
John Higgins, despite making his UK Championship debut 31 years ago, remains determined to achieve silverware.
Higgins, a four-time world champion in snooker, is set to compete in the MrQ UK Championship at the York Barbican. With three UK titles and two Masters crowns, he is considered one of the toughest players in the circuit.
Higgins, despite holding 31 ranking titles and being a top 16 player for 28 years, remains passionate about the sport despite his record and snooker history.
The player, who made his UK Championship debut in 1992, has a granite approach and believes more silverware is near. Although his last ranking title was the 2021 Players Championship, he arrives in York eager to face the battle.
Higgins, who lost five finals in the 2021/22 campaign, is still hungry and playing well. He believes he has not been getting over the line lately, which is essential in the sport. Higgins admits that he was not as good a player 20 years ago as he is now, but is still enjoying the fight. He would love to return to a big arena and experience the winning feeling in front of fans again, which is his goal right now. This season, Higgins has reached the semi-finals of the English Open, European Masters, and International Championship. In an interview for the MrQ UK Championship, Higgins was asked if he felt he had under or over-achieved in the early days of his career. He believes he is playing good stuff and is putting in the hours to lift a trophy again.
Higgins, a former top player and tournament winner, believes he has overachieved in his playing style. He admits that he would have underestimated his current level of performance in his late 40s. Higgins admits that he always had a bit of trepidation and fear going into big matches, but has not changed his outlook much. He believes that having a whole career in front of him and being a father with three kids has changed his perspective. He believes that he has never been more confident in his abilities. The opening match against qualifier Joe O’Connor is scheduled for Tuesday.
Snooker has become more important to Higgins, who is part of the ‘Class of 92’, along with Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Williams. They have met 70 times on the World Snooker Tour, with Higgins winning 33 and O’Sullivan winning 37. They have never had any animosity, and Higgins believes there is a different buzz when playing Ronnie, who has become the greatest player in 99.9% of people’s eyes. They are all set to meet in York, and their paths could clash once again.
