‘Crucible quality to the max’

JOHN HIGGINS believes this year’s World Championship could be the greatest of all time.

Four-time world champion Higgins (below) expects the standard to exceed a level ever seen before at the Crucible for the event which runs from July 31 to August 16.

“This will probably surpass any tournament,” said Higgins.

“Everybody will be a lot more prepared. Mentally people will be giving it extra because the event could have been taken away from us.

“Everyone will be sharp as a tack.”

Higgins, a beaten world finalist for the last three seasons, added: “It could break all the records in terms of centuries too. I definitely think there will be a maximum 147.

“There are only a very few players that have made one at the Crucible. I think the whole situation and the crowd gets on top of you there normally.

“But I’d be very surprised if there wasn’t one or maybe even two this year.”