John Higgins could start skipping snooker events after cementing his place in the top 16 (Image: GETTY)
has admitted he could pull out of upcoming events as he has already bagged himself plenty of rankings points. The 49-year-old at the start of the month after in the showpiece match.
Higgins has enjoyed an upturn in fortunes at the baize in recent weeks and also reached the quarter-finals of the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong last week. He has climbed to No. 7 in the world rankings as a result and has cemented himself a place in the top 16 for the foreseeing future, which means he won’t have to qualify for the biggest tournaments.
The veteran explained: “I don’t think I’ve ever been in the right space to pick and choose my events like some of the other boys.
“The past few years I’ve been chasing ranking points because I’ve been on the cusp of things ranking-wise and getting into tournaments. But I now have the scope to not play in as many tournaments.
“Before I’ve always said, ‘What else would I do?’ But I have that cushion now that you can be guaranteed being in everything next year – it would perhaps do me well to pick and choose.
“The travelling does get harder as you get older. But you are a lucky boy to be playing this great sport and going to these places.”
John Higgins picked up £175,000 after defeating Joe O’Connor in the World Open final (Image: GETTY)
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Higgins made the ‘shot of the century’ during his World Open final triumph as he potted two balls at once, before eventually dispatching O’Connor 10-6.
And after the showdown, he said: “This is massive. At 49, people would be thinking I would never get there again.
“The spin-offs of winning a big Chinese money event can establish you for the next couple of years. It takes the pressure off. This has given me a lot of confidence.”
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The Wizard of Wishaw added: “It has been a long time since I have won a big event. So, to win this and then roll to the next one, I am not used to it.
“Hopefully it will reinforce a bit of confidence in myself which, if I am honest, it has been lacking for the last few years. I still felt I had played good stuff.
“The deciding-frame defeats do knock the stuffing out of you a bit. I have been honest enough to say that. I am just delighted.”