John Higgins, four-times a world champion, lost 13-9 to Ding Junhui at the Crucible, and then recognised his second-round conqueror as a “big, big danger” to all at this year’s tournament.
Higgins was 5-1 up at one stage in the World Championship match, but had no answer to Ding’s late surge as the Chinese player came out well on top in the end on Saturday. The Scot rates Ding’s control of the white ball as better than anyone’s apart from the six-time world champion Steve Davis, at his best, and has no doubt he has the credentials to beat everyone this year.
“I let him off the hook when I was 5-1 in front,” said Higgins. “I missed a red and, from then on, he was clinical. He never let his head drop, and he came back into it … and then played clinical, clinical stuff.”
Comparisons with Davis are eye-catching. “He reminds you of Steve Davis in his prime, his cue-ball control,” added Higgins. “It’s the best probably since Davis. He makes everything look ridiculously easy, and he made a couple of pressure clearances. It probably means he’s maybe ready to win the world title.”
Ding had to dig in, with Higgins regularly building breaks, but often failing to close out frames.
“He seems as if he’s ready to tough it out,” said Higgins. “His all-round game, his safety play and everything was top notch as well. He’s a big, big danger to win this tournament, I think.”
Ding, ominously, believes he can improve. “I’m playing well, and keep scoring heavily, and won frames after he made 50 breaks,” he said.
“I hope I’m going to win the tournament. I believe I can. I have the form to win any tournament. I think I can play better.”
The 39-year-old Higgins had looked sharp in his opening win over Rob Milkins, and recently picked up the Welsh Open title to end a two-and-a-half-year barren run. When he opened up his substantial leads over Ding, it seemed the champion of 1998, 2007, 2009 and 2011 would kick on to reach the last eight. Instead, Ding struck back and led 9-7 heading into the last session – nudging closer to the winning line with breaks of 63 and 89, and soon closing out the match.
Higgins admitted he was second best to a very good opponent, who will play either Judd Trump or Marco Fu in his quarter-final. “My concentration in the last session was very poor,” he said. “I must have made a few 40s or 50s during the match, and ended up losing those frames. You just can’t afford to do that against the top, top boys. I’ve no complaints. They punish you heavily and that’s what happened to me.”
Higgins would love to see Ding face Anthony McGill in this year’s final. McGill, second-round conqueror of the defending champion Mark Selby, is a rising star and a compatriot of Higgins, who said: “I hope he [Ding] plays Ants in the final. I’d be rooting for wee Ants to win it. But if Ants doesn’t, I’d love to see Ding win it.”
After play on the other table on Saturday morning, Mark Allen led Barry Hawkins 9-7 in a match that will conclude on Saturday night. PA
View all comments >
comments
Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion.
This discussion is closed for comments.
We’re doing some maintenance right now. You can still read comments, but please come back later to add your own.
Commenting has been disabled for this account (why?)