World Champion John Higgins aims to retain 2011 UK Championship title at York Barbican Centre
Reigning World Snooker Champion and defending UK Champion, John Higgins, has reached York and the cueist seems to have the hunger to win and retain the 2011 UK Championship. The champ is preparing himself and sharpening up his cue stick to take on any challenge
placed against him during the championship. He will be meeting England’s Rory McLeod in his first-round clash at the arena.
The 36-year-old took part in the Paul Hunter Foundation Roadshow after reaching York, where the 27th edition of UK Championship will kick off on Saturday, December 3. Higgins believes that snooker matches have become more difficult now because
a number of new but strong players are emerging on the map of world snooker.
Speaking to media at York, Higgins said, “You don’t get any easy matches nowadays. It just shows you how difficult it is in sport, especially snooker, to come back and defend a big title. If Stephen Hendry was the last one to do it 15 years ago, it shows
you it is a very difficult thing to do.”
The Wizard of Wishaw added, “But I will come and try to do my best. I have not been in the best of form lately but, hopefully, when I come here I can try to play my best stuff. You don’t look at the draws nowadays because everyone plays to the same high
standards.”
A couple of days ago, the Scotsman criticised snooker authorities for changing the format of major snooker events like UK Championship. He stated that snooker boss, Barry Hearn, did not fulfil his promise and changed the playing format of the event from
best-of-17 to best-of-11 frames. Higgins insisted that the change has been made keeping only television viewers in mind.
Not only that, the Magician also opposed the Players Tour Championship (PTC) matches as previously done by the Rocket, Ronnie O’Sullivan, and compatriot, Stephen Maguire. The four-time world champion believes that organising such events does not bring any
crowd into the arena and players only increase their expenditure playing in them.
Higgins has suggested Hearn to exclude PTC events that are organised at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield, so that players can manage their expenses after participating in the remaining PTC events.
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