Higgins relishes being ‘best of enemies’ with tough opponent Allen
Four-time Crucible champion John Higgins has predicted an entertaining match against Mark Allen when the pair meet in the second round of the Betfred World Championship.
The Wishaw potter made at least a half-century break in every frame he won in beating Martin Gould 10-6 yesterday morning in his first round match.
Now the 2011 world champion, pictured, in his 22nd year at this event, is relishing another battle with the Antrim player for a place in the quarter-finals. “He’s a great player, I always have good games against him. I have a lot of respect for his game, he’ll probably agree he could have done better in his career than he has,” Higgins said.
“It’s tough because there are so many great players vying for tournaments but we always have great games and I’m sure the second-round match will be another great game.
“Obviously you have a bit of banter, you see each other on the practice tables, you might go watch the football or get a bite to eat but when it comes down to it, we’ll be best of enemies. It should be a good game. I’m looking forward to it, I have the utmost respect for Mark’s game.
“I’mhappywiththewayiwas hitting the ball. I just concentrated on each frame and saw where it took me but I seem to have played well.”
Higgins reached the quarter-finals in Sheffield last year and looked in strong form on Monday afternoon as he raced into a 5-0 before taking a 7-2 lead into yesterday’s session where Gould immediately reduced the deficit with his second century of the match. An impressive 127 clearance, the highest break of the firstround tie, sent Higgins on his way to the 10-6 victory, but he felt the final scoreline was slightly flattering in his favour. “Martin is one of those players who can go on a roll and reel off two or three frames. I thought he was going to make it 9-7, then with the pressure like it is here, it would be difficult to get over the line,” he added.
“To win 10-6 against Martin is brilliant. To be 7-2 in front, I don’t think you can ever think you’ll get that against a class player, but that also brings its own pressure as you feel you don’t want to lose.
“I thought it was a good draw because he gets on with the game and goes for his shots and then sees what happens.”
The 41-year-old Higgins resumes his quest for a fifth world title at The Crucible on Friday afternoon in a best of 25 frame match against Allen, who was far from his most fluent as he beat Jimmy Robertson 10-8 on Monday night in his first-round match. l Watch the Snooker World Championship live on Eurosport and Eurosport Player, with Colin Murray and analysis from Jimmy White and Neal Foulds. Sam Oldham bears no grudge over his controversial omission from the Rio Olympics as he prepares to make his long-awaited international return at this week’s European Championships in Cluj.
The 24-year-old watched his team-mates’ unprecedented medal haul at home having missed out on selection and subsequently failed with an appeal.
It was a further bitter blow for Oldham, who had returned from nine months out following a serious ankle injury at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and impressed in the pre-rio London Open.
But Oldham, a member of the bronze medal-winning Great Britain team at London 2012, is determined to seize on the absence of a number of star names in Romania to remind the selectors of his ability.
A regular room-mate of double Olympic gold medallist Max Whitlock, he said: “I found it surprisingly easy to watch the Olympics and to cheer on all the guys I’d grown up with. If anything, watching their success made me hungrier, and it made me think if Max can do it, why can’t I?
“Of course I felt I deserved to be there, but knowing I had done everything to make it possible made it sit with me quite well. Rio apart, last year was one of the best years I have had in a while.”
Oldham won gold at the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore and four silver medalsateuropeanchampionships between 2013 and 2015, but injuries have hampered his attempts to make a headline-grabbing breakthrough.
GB men’s head coach Eddie van Hoof believes Oldham still has his best gymnastics days ahead of him. Van Hoof said: “It would have been easy for Sam to have thrown the towel in after Rio, but he went away and committed himself to this new cycle which pleases me no end.
“Until now Sam has been a little bit erratic in terms of competition results, but this is his chance. If he can control his confidence levels, he is one of our best medal chances on the high bar.”