JOHN Higgins was not completely satisfied with his performance after he progressed to the Royal London Watches Grand Prix quarter-finals with victory in his all-Scottish meeting with Stephen Hendry in Glasgow yesterday.
The three-time Grand Prix champion was a 5-2 winner over his compatriot at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre. Breaks of 127, 75 and 66 were the catalyst for success as the Wishaw professional progressed.
But neither player was happy w
ith their performance, particularly as they struggled to impress in front of their home supporters.
"It was a scrappy match, but it was whoever got their nose in front who was going to win," said Higgins. "Whoever stamped their authority early on was going to be the favourite and, thankfully, it was me.
"The two of us were nervous. He was struggling as well. He was coming up short a lot of times on the cue ball, which is a symptom of someone lacking confidence.
"I scored OK, but it's still taking me two or three chances to get in and score. Against form players you don't normally get that many chances."
Higgins pinched a scrappy opening frame before Hendry, a four-time Grand Prix winner, levelled matters. But Higgins won a fragmented third frame for a slender lead, before pocketing breaks of 127 and 75 for a commanding 4-1 lead.
Hendry, who has not won a ranking title since the 2005 Malta Cup, hit back with a fine 104. However, his comeback was too late as Higgins completed victory with a composed 66 in the next frame.
"Beating Stephen should give you confidence, but I know he played well below par to let me come in and win that match," added Higgins.
Hendry, who nearly fell at the first hurdle when he was taken the distance by qualifier Dave Gilbert, admitted: "The last four or five seasons I've made lots of unforced errors unfortunately.
"Before the match I felt fantastic, I wasn't missing a ball on the practice table and I've been timing everything beautifully. But then I go out in the arena and then it disappears for some reason. It's very frustrating.
"There were easier draws, but John was there for the taking. He didn't look comfortable either. He looked very nervous to me."
The full article contains 390 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
