Scot John Higgins showed his best form since returning from a six-month ban as he emerged victorious against England’s Stephen Lee on Sunday at the 12bet.com UK Championship in Telford.
Higgins, a three-time world champion, had to sit on the sidelines for six months after an independent tribunal decided he had brought the sport into disrepute earlier this year.
Former world No1 Higgins faced allegations of match-fixing in a newspaper during the world championships, but was cleared of all more serious charges of corruption.
However, this was Higgins’ first appearance back on United Kingdom soil since his enforced absence from snooker which also saw him fined £75,000.
And the man known as the ‘Wizard of Wishaw’, after the area of Glasgow in which he grew up, showed plenty of the old magic as he beat Lee 9-6 in a high-quality match.
The pair turned professional together back in 1992, and although Higgins has won far more in his career, Lee remains an opponent to be feared on his day.
He played his full part in the match of the tournament to date, making two breaks of 137 as well as runs of 82, 73, 64 and 61.
But that was not enough against the 35-year-old Higgins who produced two century breaks of his own alongside runs of 91, 64, 99, 87, 64 and 80.
Higgins, trying to win a third UK title, said: “There were certainly a few butterflies coming out on Saturday, but it was good to be back playing on the BBC again in a big tournament. You want to do well.
“The reception from the fans was good, and I was delighted with that. Everyone has been fine and it’s good to be among it and playing.
“It really helped me going to Germany and Prague to get some match practice in the PTC tournaments.
“It goes through your mind, will you be able to play that standard again after so long out, but you hope you can and it was good to do it.
“Of course I was concerned in the summer whether I would ever be in this position again, but thank God I am back playing.
“It was especially good at the end today, staying cool and clam in a clinching moment at 8-6 trying to clear up to win or it could go 8-7 and wide open.
“That’s when the pressure is on and you feel the nerves again, that’s what you live for and what I have always lived for.
“If I had lost I would have said much the same things and wished Stephen well, as I played well.”
Higgins, a supporter of Glasgow football club Celtic, will now play Graeme Dott, who hails from the same city but is a fan of Celtic’s big rivals Rangers.
Dott won the world title in 2006 and has been in two further Crucible finals, but Higgins says he does not receive the recognition from the public that he deserves.
He said: “I know and those in snooker all know what a great player Graeme is, and he doesn’t get the credit from the public he deserves.
“His record at the Crucible is in incredible, wining it and being in two more finals. He is one of the best players in the world.”