JOHN'S ALL MAXED OUT
JOHN HIGGINS admits he was feeling the heat as he blew the chance of a first Crucible maximum 147 last night.
The 42-year-old missed a tricky penultimate red when on course to pocket £50,000 in his 10-7 victory over Thepchaiya Un-Nooh at the Betfred World Championship.
Higgins has sunk eight magical perfect clearances in his illustrious career but admits he’s putting himself under pressure to do it in Sheffield before he hangs up his cue.
He said: “I was disappointed and I played the wrong shot on the third last black. I played a nothing shot and I left myself a difficult shot.
“It’s difficult trying to make a 147 out there, the pressure’s pretty intense.
“I would love to make one here – it would be an amazing feeling. I’ll be trying to make one here before my career ends.”
Higgins used all of his experience to keep Crucible debutant Un-Nooh at bay.
The Scot sunk 62, 51, 104, 59, 81, 77 and 54 breaks to set up a mouthwatering clash with Englishman Jack Lisowski on Friday.
He said: “My experience probably got me through. I felt really composed at the end whereas when you’re BY NEIL GOULDING younger you’re more nervy potting winning balls.
“He’s brilliant to watch and I’m delighted to get through. I knew he would hit me with a run of frames where I wouldn’t get a shot.
“If I was playing Thepchaiya on Saturday or Sunday he would have still been flying high from qualifying but playing him a week later helped.”
Neil Robertson became the fifth former world champion to crash out in a first round of shocks after a 10-5 defeat to qualifier Robert Milkins.
After knocking out one champ Milkins faces another in Mark Williams in the second round.
Williams famously crushed the Milkman 10-1 in 2005 and finished the match with a maximum 147 break.
And he waltzed into the second round here with a convincing 10-5 victory over Jimmy Robertson.
Williams infuriated his rival as he laid down an early marker for the shot of the tournament with a no-look pot on the green when snookered.
He said: “It’s the biggest fluke you’ll ever see!
“I went to apologise and he couldn’t look at me, he was fuming and looking into the crowd.”