Neal Foulds snooker column: John Higgins back to his best ahead of the World Championship

His victory over Mark Selby in the final of the Tour Championship on Sunday felt like a significant one for many reasons, and for John himself it really does confirm that he is well and truly back at the top table.

He got back to winning ways in Yushan in February, but the Tour Championship is a huge event, a big tournament for any player to win, and to do so by beating someone of Mark Selby’s class is quite the feather in John’s cap.

We shouldn’t be surprised. This is one of the greatest to ever play the game, but there is a running theory that when Mark plays at his absolute best, especially in a final over multiple sessions, he is almost untouchable, perhaps even unbeatable.

WATCH: WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP VERDICTS!

John proved that not to be the case, and he did it with Mark playing at his best. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Mark looking more confident – not in a long time anyway – and the way he thrashed Neil Robertson and Ding Junhui earlier in the week did suggest the title was his for the taking.

At 8-5 to the good in the final, having just won seven frames on the bounce, Selby's supporters would have been counting their money. The old master had other ideas.

Mark played brilliantly, both did, sharing eight centuries between them in an amazing match which was surely one of the great finals played in recent seasons, and most definitely this one.

When you think about all that John has gone through in the last few years, all those crushing defeats in big matches, it makes his recent renaissance all the more remarkable.

We all saw his gut-wrenching defeat to Neil Robertson at the Players Championship in 2019, John losing that final from 9-4 ahead. And there have been many other matches like that, equally painful, leaving us to wonder just how much he had left to give.

But ever since that win in Yushan at the World Open, it’s been roles reversed. I’ve lost count of how many close matches decided in the final frame John has come through, and he really has turned it around. What an achievement when you think he’ll celebrate his 50th birthday next month.

John has clearly got his confidence and belief back, but ultimately, I just think he’s playing better now than he has in a very long time. For the past three of four months, his form has been outstanding. His long game in particular was strong all week in Manchester, and we know just how good a tactical player he is.

The last of his World Championship wins came way back in 2011, but John is adamant that he is a better player now than he was back then, and of that famed Class of 92, he is very much the man right now.

I know we always talk about them, John, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Williams, but I think what it again highlights is that when one of that trio does hit a rich vein of form, they are still going to win tournaments, irrespective of the level of opponent. They are simply that good.

Back to the Tour Championship for a moment, and I think for John and Mark, you’d have to be encouraged about their form heading to Sheffield. It can’t be a negative to be playing that well – and they really did put on a show in that final – but recent history does tell us that Tour Championship winners don’t tend to fare well at the Crucible.

Kyren Wilson was fresh coming to Sheffield last year and finished strongest of all to win his maiden world title. He didn’t even qualify for the Players Series 12 months ago. A year earlier, Luca Brecel made no secret of the fact he had hardly been playing any snooker before blitzing all-comers on his way to Crucible glory.

It used to be the China Open, not the Tour Championship, that preceded the World Championship, and winner of that event often found it tough going in Sheffield as well.

I think it’s fair to say that there have been occasions in the past when form players have peaked a week or two too soon in terms of the World Championship. The workload and pressures do take their toll, and it’s not easy to keep on producing your best snooker day in day out.

You need to find reserves you didn’t know you had over the course of 17 days at the Crucible and it can help if you’ve had a few quiet weeks running up to Sheffield. That was certainly the case for Kyren and Luca, so for John and Mark, they’ll need to hope they can hold their form.

More immediately, I was on commentary on Tuesday as Jimmy White came through his first qualifier, but he really did put us through the ringer.

From 6-3 down, Jimmy battled past Anton Kazakov to eventually win 10-9. And a battle is exactly what is was. I think it was 1.23am when Jimmy finally got over the line and I can’t imagine he has ever been involved in a longer match. It was a brilliant tussle.

He didn’t play particularly well, Jimmy, bar one century break, but he’s still in the draw thanks to his fighting spirit and a will to win that shows no sign of dimming. And when the pressure was on, he potted a couple of terrific long balls to win the deciding frame.

Jimmy is coming to the end of his two-year tour card now, so would need to reach the Crucible in order to win back his card on merit. You’d think World Snooker would be keen to offer him a wild card anyway, but I know Jimmy wants to earn the right and remain on the tour on merit.

He still has the hunger and belief that he can compete, and there are many others in his shoes, all desperate to make it to the Crucible to experience that great, old venue. It’s such an important time of the season for so many.

I’m looking forward to getting back there, too. You can sense a real buzz building for the tournament now and there really is nothing like it. The history, the tradition, and the prospect of a mouthwatering first round pitting battle-hardened qualifiers against under-pressure seeds.

When you put it all together, it makes for something very special before the tournament really gets off the ground. There's so much to look forward to. It’s going to be special few weeks in Sheffield.

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