John Higgins celebrates his 50th birthday today, but the illustrious Scot is adamant he’s not taking his foot off the gas in pursuit of snooker silverware.
A landmark season for Higgins saw him rack up the 32nd and 33rd ranking crowns of his career. That broke a four year title drought, which included five straight defeats in ranking finals.
Higgins first beat Joe O’Connor in Yushan to win the World Open, before defeating Mark Selby in the Tour Championship final. He went to the Crucible full of hope for a deep World Championship run, but missed a match ball blue in the deciding frame of his classic quarter-final with Mark Williams and lost 13-12.
We’ve caught up with Higgins for an exclusive interview to look ahead to snooker in his 50s, reflect on what he achieved last season and hear about a very special birthday trip to Dallas…
John, first of all happy birthday. How proud are you to still be competing at the top of the sport in your 50s?
“There’s no getting away from it, to be up the top still is a great achievement. When I think about the players who went before, they never really did that. We are in a stronger era as well, with tougher competition. I have to give myself a pat on the back for that.
“There were more ups and downs than any other season in a long time. When I take stock of it all, it is probably the best season I’ve had in more than six or seven years. I have to be thankful for that. To win a couple of events and be in another final at the British Open, I had a good run at the World Championship but fell to a good game with Mark Williams. I can’t complain.”
Why do you think the players of previous eras went past their respective peaks long before their 50th birthday?
“I just think we are better all-round players. I know Hendry won a lot in his peak in the 90s. In the early 2000s, he couldn’t really go on with the best players. Davis still got to a major final in his late 40s, but he had a game which allowed him to hang in there and mix it. When you look at Ronnie and Mark, their all-round play is better. You have to be like that to stay with the current players. It is difficult to explain, but when you have the likes of Selby, Robertson, Judd and then Kyren and Zhao, you can ring off lots more names. These guys are unbelievable champions.”
How hard was it to persevere in recent years and keep the belief that you would win big tournaments again?
“Although I was trying to stay positive on the outside, to the media and other things. It was slowly starting to break down my belief. I was wondering if I could go over the line again at this age. It was a massive relief to do it out in China and I carried that forward to the Tour Championship. It was just that little bit of self-belief that every player needs. I was still playing to a good level in a lot of tournaments. I was just not getting over that line. I was falling down a little bit. I managed to overcome that, win two events and put in a few other good performances.
"It all starts again now though. You can’t stand still. I need to go again and try to replicate that. You can’t rest on your laurels. If you don’t keep pushing, then you are vulnerable to fall down the rankings again. The end of the season is forgotten about. I need to be on it and carry the form on, as well as the confidence. It never stands still.”
What are the main goals for your career going forward and how long do you intend to keep playing?
“I think it would be good to try and win another title in my 50s. I’ve won in my teens, my 20s, my 30s, my 40s and it would be good to go one further. That would be a great achievement.
“The game will probably retire me. I know Mark Williams was vocal about his eyesight and things. That is what is beginning to effect the likes of myself. There are things beginning to break down a little bit. I’ll have to deal with that and it might magnify itself in the next few years. I have to wait and see what happens and hopefully carry on."
How do you reflect on your quarter-final Crucible loss to Mark Williams and was it hard to get over?
“It was an exciting game for the fans but being honest with myself I had my chances at the start of the last session and didn’t take them. I didn’t deserve to win. I’m honest enough to know that. It is a tough tournament, it really is. As you could see with Mark in the final. He basically lost it in the first session. He’d climbed a couple of mountains to get into the final and before you know it, he’s lost the final. It is such a taxing and mental tournament. It will be difficult for any player touching 50 to win it again. It is so hard to win.
“You will never be able to replicate those moments whenever you stop playing. Those moments. I do think Mark Williams is the only player who would have rolled the blue in. Every other professional would have played it the same way I did. That was such a difficult shot. It just never dropped for me and Mark potted three great colours. I will miss those adrenaline rushes. Especially at that Theatre. You can’t replicate it anywhere else.
"Onwards and upwards. I had a mate who is going through a tough time with Motor Neurone Disease called Charlie Devlin. He left me a voicemail after the game and it just put things into perspective. He was trying to give make me feel better. I thought to myself that I’d just lost a game of snooker. That is not the most important thing. There are others going through a lot worse. I’ve always been pretty good at having that perspective I think. I am devastated to lose in the moment, but after I have always been able to compartmentalise it. There are worse things happening in the world.”
Your wife Denise has organised a trip to Dallas for your birthday. As a massive fan of the soap opera, how much are you looking forward to going there?
“I’m going at the end of the month. I don’t know the itinerary she has for us. I love all the history. There’s the Grassy Knoll, the bookstore and all the things. I can’t wait to see it all. My wife said where would I like to go, I’ve been to a lot of places throughout my life, but this really is exciting for me. It will probably be a wee bit emotional as well. I spent a lot of time with my family watching Dallas and now I’m going. I really can’t wait.
“I just think it was the patter of it. J.R Ewing was such a baddy. It was probably the biggest show on television at the time. My mum and dad loved it and as a young boy you watched it and saw what it was like to live the high life, flying in nice planes and being a high roller. Everything about it made it an iconic TV show for me. I cannot wait to go."