Higgins eyeing a Masterly show to bag his third title
Buttrump missing out after positive test
Humbled John Higgins feels incredibly fortunate to still be playing amidst the Covid-19 chaos.
The Masters, snooker’s premier invitational event, starts today at its temporary home of the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes.
The Scottish great heads there looking to win his first Masters crown for 15 years.
“You’re just grateful that there are still tournaments for us to play in,” stressed double Masters champion Higgins, who last night qualified for the Championship League winners’ group after topping the round-robin group with four wins and two losses,.
“This pandemic has given me a fresh perspective, and you just have to be grateful for what you’ve got and that you’re able to play.
“Barry Hearn and World Snooker are doing a great job in putting in place opportunities for us to play.
“You feel very lucky and fortunate that you are able to go to work and play snooker for a living.
“We don’t want to go back to that time of total sporting lockdown that we had in March and April. But that could eventually happen.”
The Masters was due to be played at London’s Ally Pally, but has been moved to a biosecure bubble at the Marshall Arena, a venue which has staged all of snooker’s tournaments this season.
“The people in Milton Keynes have been great to us,” reflected Higgins.
“It’s a long way to Milton Keynes for us Scottish boys, but at least the events are on.
“It’s a good six hours and you can’t fly down. So it’s an added incentive to do well, because you don’t want to be getting back in the car for another six hours home.”
Higgins kicks off his challenge for the £250,000 first prize against Northern Ireland potter Mark Allen, while compatriot Stephen Maguire locks horns with three-time Masters champion Mark Selby.
Higgins admitted: “I’ve got one of the hardest, if not the hardest draw.
“I’m in the top eight and Mark should very easily be in the top eight as well.
“But it’s the Masters, and you know there are going to be no easy games.
“He’s such a tough player to play against, and we’ve always had some good battles – a few have been at the Masters.”
Meanwhile, World No. 1 Judd Trump and stablemate Jack Lisowski were both forced to withdraw yesterday from this year’s Masters having tested positive for Covid.
Potting sensation Trump was due to kick-off his quest for a second Masters title today, but a positive Covid result meant he had no choice but to withdraw.
Both players have begun a 14-day isolation period before they can play again.
Trump was scheduled to face David Gilbert in the opening match of snooker’s most prestigious invitational tournament, but has now been replaced by Joe Perry.
And Lisowski, who had been due to play last season’s World Championship finalist Kyren Wilson, has been replaced by Gary Wilson, a former parttime taxi driver.
Three-time world champion Mark Williams last night blasted organisers after learning Trump and Lisowski will be denied any first-round prize after their positive tests.
The cash will instead go to Perry and Wilson who have replaced the duo in the draw.
“It’s terrible you don’t get your first-round prize money for the Masters if you test positive,” rappedwilliams.
“You work hard all year and to get into the top 16 and not get a penny – and not your own fault. Or at least get half and the reserve gets half.”