On December 28, 2023, Beijing time, four-time world champion Higgins said in an interview that he believes that 99.9% of people in the world will think that O'Sullivan is the greatest player in the field of snooker.
The world No. 1 player has cemented his place in history in the past game, and in Higgins' view, O'Sullivan has always been a player with his own aura. The four-time world champion is happy that he can be O'Sullivan's best opponent and thinks it's a good thing.
At the same time, Higgins also said that he would play well every time he faced O'Sullivan. In addition, Higgins is also convinced that Trump is the player who will succeed O'Sullivan. And when it comes to the title, Higgins says he's still hungry.
Higgins: O'Sullivan is already the greatest player
In Higgins' career, O'Sullivan has been a very important opponent. Speaking about his old rival, Higgins said with a smile: "When you play against O'Sullivan, there is a different feeling. I've never had any animosity. There's always a feeling that I need to work hard to beat this guy. ”
"He has cemented his position and in the eyes of 99.9 percent of people he is the greatest. When we were 17 years old, I thought he was fantastic, there was something about him. Later my idea turned out to be right. I've always said that he has a very special aura around him, and now, when you play against him, you see that he's taller and bigger than the sport. More people know him than anyone else, and he has a huge fan base all over the world. ”
"You might think that when people see confrontation, I could be one of his main opponents. I guess that's a good thing. He really brought out the best in me. I played some good games with him. He's an incredible player. ”
Higgins: Trump would be the next such person
Higgins and O'Sullivan have spanned different eras, witnessed the end of the great era of Davis and Hendry, and stayed ahead of the curve in the rise of today's stars such as Selby, Robertson and Trump. Higgins has a clear confrontation with the last of the trio.
Speaking about Trump, Higgins said: "Trump is the next person to qualify, and he is expected to be the master of the game. He's an attacking player. I think I played my best against Trump and he played the same against me, just like me and O'Sullivan. ”
"I hope the 2011 World Championships won't be the last time I won't win, but it might be the case. Compared to the other three, that victory was even more impressive. In the last time he reached the final, the snooker world may have sided with Trump. He was such a young man. He finished a very great victory in 2019. ”
Higgins: I'm still desperate to win a championship
Despite only 17 months away from his 50th birthday, Higgins is still in the top 16 in the world, but he has had to endure a series of painful defeats in recent seasons. He lost five finals in 2021/22 and has already lost 5-6 to Trump in the semifinals this season.
Higgins' last ranking title was at The Players Championship 2021 and he is desperate to end his trophy drought. Higgins said of winning the title: "I'm still hungry, I'm really hungry. I played well. I just haven't crossed that line lately, and that's what you need to do in this sport. In important moments, you need to accept. You need to catch it and break through that winning line. ”
"I haven't been able to do that lately, but it's not because I don't want to try. I really feel like I'm playing well. People laughed, but I really didn't think I was a good player 20 years ago like I am now. It's tough. I still enjoy the game. ”
"The last victory was a few years ago. I really want to come to a big stadium again and taste that winning feeling in front of the fans again. I guess that's what I'm aiming for now and that's why I'm putting in my time. I would love to lift the trophy again. ”