I thought Higgins’s career was finished, says Hendry

JOHN HIGGINS is silencing the doubters — with ‘King of the Crucible’ Stephen Hendry saying he was one of them. World No 6 Higgins, 41, is bidding to become the oldest winner of the World Snooker Championship for 39 years after enjoying a resurgence in recent times. But seven-time champion Hendry admitted he once feared Higgins’s career was over. He said: ‘John went through a period when I thought he was in trouble. But he has proved me wrong.’ Higgins leads Barry Hawkins 10-6 in their best-of-33 frame semi-final at the Crucible. Hawkins got within a frame at 5-4 down — courtesy of a controversial moment as he missed the reds twice and needed to hit them with his third shot or be docked a frame by the referee. But a white ball replaced incorrectly gave Hawkins another shot, and he made his pot before taking the frame. Higgins won a 46-minute frame 16 to take a four-frame lead overnight.