BBC Sport’s Michael Emons reflects on the enduring rivalry between Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins, a contest that stretches back three decades to their first dramatic meeting at the World Snooker Championship in 1996.
Higgins vividly recalls that quarter-final clash, despite it taking place 30 years ago. At just 20 years old, he led 12-11 and looked set to secure a semi-final spot with a routine clearance. However, under pressure, he misjudged position on the blue and was left with a difficult shot on the pink, which he missed. O’Sullivan capitalized, won the deciding frame, and knocked Higgins out in what the Scot still considers one of the most painful defeats of his long career.
The match was made even more extraordinary by off-table drama. On the eve of the game, O’Sullivan faced a disciplinary hearing after an incident involving a press officer and risked expulsion from the tournament. Higgins, unsure whether he would even have to play, waited anxiously in his hotel before learning late at night that the match would go ahead.
Despite that setback, both players went on to build legendary careers. O’Sullivan has claimed seven world titles, while Higgins has won four, cementing their places among snooker’s all-time greats. Now both aged 50, they are set to meet again in the last 16, alongside fellow “Class of 92” member Mark Williams.
Their head-to-head record at the Crucible stands evenly at three wins each. Over the years, they have traded victories in major matches, including Higgins’ dominant win in the 1998 semi-finals and O’Sullivan’s triumph in the 2001 final, as well as more recent encounters.
O’Sullivan acknowledges the challenge Higgins poses, even suggesting he may enter their latest clash as the underdog. Meanwhile, Higgins is determined to relish the occasion, aware that this could be their final meeting at the Crucible. While both remain focused on progressing in the tournament, there is a shared sense that their latest showdown carries special significance given their long, intertwined history.
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