After a summer of fitness, John Higgins, who had been able to slim down, "had to" send his jersey back to the tailor to re-change the small yardage, and ushered in his new season in a "new" vest.
At the start of the new season, Higgins aims to win his fifth title in the tournament at the British Open later this month. Interestingly, before he wanted to achieve this "small goal", his first step was to change the yardage of small clothes.
Higgins, 46, said: "I still need to keep exercising and try to get a little healthier. I didn't do as well at the World Championships last season, so over the past few months I've been trying to eat healthier and lose weight to see if after a summer of adjustments has improved my performance in the new season. No one knows what weight loss will bring, but during the Champions League, I felt good at the table. I feel comfortable from the bottom of my heart, which also makes me more positive. ”
"I put on my previous vest and felt a lot looser, and it seemed that the size really needed to be changed. It's amazing, I was still wearing it a little tight at the World Championships. Over the years, I've gradually gained some weight. It wasn't until I lost some weight that I really noticed that I was actually fat, and I was definitely much fatter than I took for granted. Hopefully I can stay that way until the end of my career. ”
"I don't want to go back to the new season like I used to. I've thought about weight loss many times over the years, but I haven't stuck with it. The defeat at the World Championships was a wake-up call, I really have to make a difference, I believe that those who have the will can do it. I've always thought that as an athlete, as long as you focus on the sport itself, you will naturally be rewarded. I never thought fitness was a very important thing, and now it seems that maybe it is part of exercise. ”
Higgins defeated compatriot Stephen Maguire 9-6 in the final to win the 2004 and then last British Open title. This victory broke the strange circle of his six consecutive final defeats, which was undoubtedly a stimulant for Higgins at the time.
In addition, the game schedule coincided with the due date of Higgins's wife Denis, and the anticipation of the newborn also made this hard-won victory even more impressive.
"I obviously don't think I'm the 'defending champion' of the competition this year, after all, the last time I won the title was seventeen years ago. I just remember worrying about my wife at home giving birth at any moment throughout the race. In a way, this worry actually reduces the pressure on the game. I thought to myself, I might not be able to give birth to my wife. It just so happened that my wife's due date was postponed, and I played all the way to the final against Stephen (Maguire). Stephen was a rising star at the time and I knew it was going to be a tough game. I played well and was happy to win the final victory. Just a day or two after I finished the race and flew home, (second son) Oliver was born. The experience of those few days was truly unforgettable. ”
Although Higgins, like Stephen Hendry, holds the record for the most British Open titles with an absolute advantage of four titles, he has not had a smooth ride in the event, and he missed the title in that dramatic final with Nigel Bond in 1996.
In the decider at the time, there were only 67 points left on the table, and Bond trailed 0:69, but he managed to make a snooker all the way to the color ball stage. With only pink and black balls left on the table, Higgins hit the powder ball on the bench and did not score, Bond seized the opportunity to score the powder ball in one fell swoop, and through the bench, hit the last black ball close to the edge of the library into the bottom pocket. In the end, Bond snatched back the title from the Scots with a reversal in the decider.
Higgins recalled: "That final defeat in '96 will never be forgotten. I know I beat Stephen in the final seventeen years ago to win the title, but I can't really remember who the opponent was when I won the other three times. However, the final with Nigel that did not win the championship in the end is clearly remembered. That bizarre defeat devastated me. I was always behind in the final, but I did my best to catch up with the decider and scored ahead in the decider. He reversed beautifully and wonderfully. I forgot why, I remember that the final was finished very early at about six o'clock in the evening. My mom, dad, Dennis, and my aunt and uncle all came to watch the game, and after the game our family went out for Chinese food. Usually I can get rid of the impact of losing the final very quickly, but this time the final loss was so painful that I struggled to get through it. As I ate the chicken and black bean paste on my plate, the scene of the final still lingered in my mind. I may not remember what it was like to win, but that defeat is still fresh in my mind. ”
A random draw for this British Open allowed Higgins to meet with Alexander Ulsenbach in the first round of the tournament. In the record of the two's past encounters, Higgins has the advantage with four wins in all four encounters, but he has not taken it lightly.
"Ulsenbach is a tough player to deal with. He probably never reached his full potential against me. I've seen him play against a lot of other top players and he seems to be playing well. In a five-game, three-win short game, no matter who your opponent is, you need to have a good start and then take advantage of the situation to win quickly. I haven't seen snooker on TV much in the past few years, but this British Open is especially worth watching. Officially kicking off the season with this tournament is sure to be very exciting. ”
"The British Open used to be an important event on the tour, and unfortunately it was interrupted for more than a decade. It's great to be able to resume the event again. I think a lot of features like no seeding, open random draws, and a short-term format add a lot more visibility to the tournament. While this may not be as adaptable for the players, it will be a good game for the public and the spectators. ”