Snooker veteran John Higgins has confessed that his disappointing recent record at the UK Championship has created significant mental challenges as he prepares to compete in York this weekend.
The Barbican Curse
The Scottish snooker star, known as The Wizard of Wishaw, remains one of only eight players to have won three or more UK Championship titles. However, his last triumph came back in 2010, and he hasn't progressed beyond the quarter-finals since that victory.
Higgins faces Ben Woollaston in the last 32 on Saturday evening at 7pm, holding a dominant 6-1 head-to-head record against the English player. Despite this statistical advantage, the 50-year-old admits approaching the tournament with apprehension rather than excitement.
"I wouldn't go as strong as to say dreading it, but it's a tournament that doesn't really get me excited, because I've had so many poor performances at the Barbican," Higgins revealed. "It doesn't seem to be a good venue for myself."
Deciding Frame Demons
Despite being renowned for his strong temperament throughout his illustrious career, Higgins confessed that close matches now trigger negative thinking patterns. The four-time world champion specifically highlighted his struggles in deciding frames at the York venue.
"I just seem to have lost on a lot of deciders in the last little while and it's as if that's always going to happen," he explained. "You get to five-each and I've got a chance and then I'm thinking bad thoughts, thinking 'here we go again' and then it happens again."
Statistical analysis supports Higgins' concerns. Five of his last ten defeats at the UK Championship have indeed come in deciding frames, including last year's 6-5 loss to Judd Trump in the last 16.
Recent Form and Fitness Focus
Despite his York troubles, Higgins arrives at this year's tournament in strong form. The Scottish legend currently sits at world number six and enjoyed considerable success towards the end of last season, winning both the World Open and Tour Championship.
Although he hasn't claimed silverware this campaign, Higgins reached the International Championship final and British Open semi-finals, demonstrating his continued competitiveness at the highest level.
The determined veteran is taking proactive steps to maintain his physical condition, revealing he's installing a home gym to support his fitness in his sixth decade. "It has got me down a little bit because I've put a lot of my weight back on that I'd lost," Higgins admitted.
"So I've got a gym just getting built at the house to just give me a little bit more motivation to try and stay a little bit fitter again. Hopefully that can help you with your mental attitude to the game as well."
Higgins remains highly motivated to add to his impressive tally of 33 ranking titles, though he must first overcome his Barbican anxieties when he meets Woollaston, who hasn't beaten him in over a decade.
