John Higgins celebrated his 48th birthday in May this year but the four-time world champion believes he still has big titles left in him before he hangs up his cue.
The Wizard of Wishaw has been a force at the top of snooker pretty much since turning professional in 1992 as he won his first ranking event in 1994 and entered the world’s top 16 a year later, never falling out since then.
Four world titles, three UK Championships and two Masters crowns have been collected over the years and the Scot remains ranked number nine in the world as the 2023/24 season begins.
However, Higgins has won just one ranking title since 2018, when he turned in a spectacular performance to win the Players Championship in 2021.
He showed then that he can still produce snooker as good as anyone, while he has also been to seven more ranking finals over the last five years, but doubts have emerged over his reliability in getting over the line, as evidence by those seven final defeats.
Higgins does not think his days of claiming major titles are over, though, and while he is not sure where that belief is coming from, it is very much still there.
Asked if he still believes he’s got a big one in him, Higgins told the Talking Snooker podcast: ‘I do, I do. I don’t know if that’s just…I don’t know…but I really think I’ve got some big ones still left in me.
‘I hope I do. The subconscious is a massive thing, I think, and I really am finding it tough to pick that cue out of that case just now. I don’t know what it is.’
Higgins admits that he has been struggling for motivation to get back on the practice table this summer, but he knows he will have to find it if he wants to keep up his epic run of being in the top 16, dating back to ’95.
‘It’s a massive year for myself coming up because I’m going to really have to have a good year to maybe even qualify for the Crucible as a seed,’ he said.
‘I could be quite low down to be one of the seeds so I’m going to have to give myself a shaking and have a good year.’
The Scot has made changes in recent years that have focused the mind and drawn out good performances, most notably moving his bridge hand closer to the white ball before that stunning Players Championship triumph two years ago.
He has thought about bringing someone in to help him, be it a sports psychologist or other form of coach, but is sticking to his guns…for now.
‘I’ve always been thinking about whether I could maybe get some outside help and I just never seem to go for it,’ said the 31-time ranking event winner.
‘What’s it they say about the definition of madness? Doing the same thing and getting the same results. I don’t know if I should change, but we’ll wait and see what this season brings.’
Higgins expects to pick up some more silverware before his immense career comes to an end, but there may not be many more years left before the cue goes back in the case for good.
He admitted last month that when he reaches 50 he will re-evaluate what he wants to do with his life.
‘I’ve always said to myself I’d love to still be a seed and in the top 16 competing at the Masters when I’m 50,’ Higgins told WST in June. ‘Staying in that bracket throughout my whole career would be a good milestone.
‘If I reach that one, then I’ll maybe be looking to see where my life is at that moment. Not my snooker life but my personal one.’
MORE : John Higgins opens up on Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Williams relationships
MORE : Judd Trump is Championship League favourite after solid start as Reanne Evans scores rare win
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