John Higgins admits there are two players he expects to struggle against
'You've got two guys nowadays, two present day goliaths of the game.'
John Higgins is happy to admit that there are two players he would rather avoid in tournament draws: Mark Selby and Judd Trump.
The Wizard of Wishaw is back in brilliant form after winning the World Open and Tour Championship in recent weeks.
He has arrived at the World Snooker Championship this year as one of the favourites to lift the trophy, which would be a remarkable achievement to do so, just shy of his 50th birthday.
However, despite winning four world titles, firmly holding a place among the all-time greats and being the form horse currently, Higgins admits there are two players he would rather avoid.
On TNT Sports, Ally McCoist asked Higgins: ‘Are there opponents, even top class ones, who you would say: “I don’t fancy playing him. He’s got a style who doesn’t suit me. I’d rather play somebody else.” Are there guys like that or would you not admit it?’
The 49-year-old was not playing his cards close to his chest, happy to accept that both Trump and Selby present extremely difficult challenges on the table.
And he would know, having played both of them in two World Championship finals.
‘I would openly admit it. You’ve got two guys nowadays, two present day goliaths of the game: Judd and Mark Selby,’ Higgins said.
‘I’ve played them in four world finals, two a piece and they’re just incredible.
‘I played Judd in the 2019 final and the good thing was I didn’t have to buy a ticket for that final, I was actually sitting there. He beat me 18-9 and it was just mesmerising the snooker he produced.
‘And I’ve played Mark Selby and he’s just so tough.’
Higgins won his first two finals against his two feared foes, downing Selby 18-13 in the 2007 Crucible showpiece and a young Trump 18-15 in 2011.
However, the two English stars got revenge, with Selby beating the Wizard 18-15 in 2017 and Trump producing a stunning performance to win 18-9 in 2019.
At the time, Higgins said of Trump: ‘It will be the first of many I am sure, to produce a standard like that is incredible. He was unplayable.
‘I never expected to get to the final, I came up against an unstoppable machine.’
Higgins and Trump have booked their places in the second round of the World Championship, with the Scot taking on Xiao Guodong and the Englishman facing Shaun Murphy.
Selby is taking on Ben Woollaston for a place in the last 16, with the winner of that match facing Si Jiahui.
The Jester from Leicester is in the top half of the draw in Sheffield, with Higgins and Trump in the other half and on course to meet in the semi-finals if they can keep winning.
