JOHN HIGGINS’ participation at this year’s World Championship is in doubt after his wife’s dad had a heart attack.
The four-time world champion, 49, accepted an invitation to the inaugural Masters-style Champions’ Dinner, hosted by current champion Kyren Wilson on Thursday night.
GettyJohn Higgins was in stunning form ahead of the biggest tournament of the year[/caption]
GettyHe won the Tour Championship earlier this month[/caption]
But he missed the evening, which was attended by the likes of Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis, after Denise’s father was rushed to hospital.
The Wizard of Wishaw also understandably missed yesterday’s Green Carpet ceremony and pre-event media day as he stayed in Scotland to be by his family’s side at this distressing time.
Higgins is one of the favourites for this year’s championship and heads to Sheffield in cracking form having won two of the three events before the showpiece.
The Scottish legend is bidding to become the oldest world champion in history and is scheduled to kick off his Crucible challenge against tenacious qualifier Joe O’Connor on Monday.
Last year, Higgins admitted it could be his last ever Crucible with his status in the sport’s elite top 16 in doubt.
But the resurgent Scot is back among the genuine contenders after he returned to snooker‘s winners’ enclosure with a bang.
And asked if he has the belief he could once again conquer the Crucible, third seed Higgins replied: “Never stop believing, never stop believing.
“It will be nice going back to the Crucible with more self belief.
“It shows you how quickly things can turn around. It shows you that you should never lose belief in yourself or the game.
“There are always sunnier days ahead.
“Over the years you always try to win events before you go to the Crucible to give yourself that inner belief and I’ve managed to do that this season.
“I’ve not had that in the last couple of years so you’ve got that behind you from the get go.
“This year will be the first time in four long years where I’ve gone as a champion and tasted what it’s like to win.
“I’ll be going there in a good frame of mind.”
Higgins is renowned as one of the toughest competitors we have ever seen on the baize.
The 33-time ranking-event champion could easily have ridden off into the sunset with his legacy secured years ago.
But a burning desire to compete with the best players in the world and taste the sweet success of silverware once again kept him coming back for more.
Higgins bravely clawed himself off the canvas many times in recent years, which the great champions always do.
There were the three heartbreaking Crucible final defeats between 2017-2019.
Doubts over whether he would ever win another title began to creep in as well.
But he ended a painful four-year wait for ranking glory at last month’s World Open in China and backed that up by winning the big 12-man Tour Championship on the eve of his Crucible charge.
Reflecting on recent years, Higgins added: “I’ve been through a lot of tough times that a lot of players do in this game.
“There have been some tough times the last few years, so when you’re winning it’s a great feeling.
“I had a spell where I wasn’t getting over the winning line in matches and that was hard.
“Winning in Yushan gave me a lot of confidence. I won a couple of tough games when I was over there, coming from behind and deciders and things.
“That’s given me the belief in my game and that I have the fighting qualities to still do it at the top level.
“I just have a fight and belief inside me that I want to compete with the best players in the world.
“I’ve said it before that when that goes you’ve got no chance. Whilst I’ve still got that fight I’ll keep on going.”
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