3 weeks ago
Four-time world snooker champion John Higgins has ruled retired retiring this summer, saying he expects to outlast nan Crucible and play into his 50s.
Higgins, 48, will play world number 3 Mark Allen successful nan past 16 aft a hard-fought 10-6 triumph complete Welsh qualifier Jamie Jones connected Thursday.
The Crucible has staged snooker's World Championship each twelvemonth since 1977, but Sheffield City Council's latest statement expires successful 2027 and China and Saudi Arabia person shown liking successful taking nan event.
Earlier this week, erstwhile World Snooker Tour president Barry Hearn warned nan arena would time off its long-time theatre location unless nan building was redeveloped aliases a bigger arena was built adjacent successful nan city.
There had been speculation that Higgins, 13th successful nan world but successful threat of dropping retired of nan apical 16, would locomotion distant from snooker if he had a disappointing World Championship.
"No, I won't retire. This venue will beryllium retired earlier I discontinue from snooker," said Higgins, nan 1998, 2007, 2009 and 2011 world champion.
"It's a shame, but pinch each nan noises coming retired from important group wrong nan crippled it seems it will beryllium leaving present successful 3 years' time. I've had tears, joy, everything rolled into one, and your life has revolved astir this venue, and it will beryllium a sad time erstwhile it leaves."
Before nan tourney began, Higgins had formed uncertainty connected his future.
When asked if this could beryllium his past play successful snooker, Higgins had said: "Who knows? I'll travel here, springiness it everything, past I will measure aft nan tournament. I'm conscionable going to springiness it my each for this play and we will spot what happens."
But he now has a chance to move into an 18th Crucible quarter-final, though to do truthful he must hit Northern Ireland's Allen, a subordinate who could extremity nan tourney arsenic world number one.
Allen has won 2 thirds of snooker's 'Triple Crown' - pinch triumph astatine nan Masters successful 2018 and nan UK Championship successful 2022 - but is yet to scope a World Championship final, losing successful nan semi-finals successful some 2009 and 2023.
The 38-year-old from Antrim mislaid 17-13 to Higgins successful nan 2009 Crucible semi-final and 13-9 successful nan past 16 8 years later.
"Mark is an unbelievable subordinate but for him to only scope 2 semi-finals present for his talent is obscurity adjacent bully capable and he would show you that," added Higgins. "There mightiness beryllium thing astir nan venue that does not work together pinch him truthful I person to clasp connected to that."
Allen hit England's Robbie Williams 10-6 successful nan first information and said: "I don't attraction what different group think. I want to beryllium world champion and I want to beryllium world number one. But I can't deliberation of that erstwhile I'm retired there."
Their last-16 lucifer is nan champion of 25 frames, truthful nan first to 13 advances. The first convention will beryllium connected Saturday day (14:30 BST), and nan 2nd connected Sunday astatine nan aforesaid time, earlier nan lucifer will beryllium completed connected Monday from 19:00 BST.
