Amid the biggest recent sporting headlines, such as Liverpool’s relentless march towards the Premier League title and Jannik Sinner’s doping ban, you may have missed the news from the snooker circuit that John Higgins won his first title in four years at the World open.
The veteran, 49, had not won on the tour since winning the 2021 Players Championship, but his triumphant run in Yushan, China made him the second oldest ranking event winner ever and oldest ranking event finalist since 1986. He defeated Joe O’Connor 10-6 in the final, having also equalled Ronnie O’Sullivan’s record of reaching 146 ranking event quarter finals earlier that week.
Nicknamed the ‘Wizard of Wishaw,’ Higgins is one of Scotland’s greatest snooker players, having won 32 ranking titles, and seems to have rediscovered his old magic in Yushan. However, the four-time world champion admitted after his win that he had wondered if he would ever win another tournament. He told the World Snooker Tour (WST) that the win was “a big monkey off his back,” having found himself on the wrong end of a seemingly ever-growing list of heartbreaking final defeats. He revealed that he had questioned whether he should keep playing at times, but now feels his hard work and perseverance were worthwhile.
