John Higgins compares Kyren Wilson to younger version of snooker icon
03/06/2025 12:00 PM
John Higgins reckons Kyren Wilson is like a ‘young John Parrott’ as he compares the current world champion to the man who conquered the Crucible 34 years ago.
Higgins got the better of Wilson on Thursday at the World Grand Prix, playing brilliantly to win 4-2 and book his spot in the quarter-finals.
It continues a fabulous few days for the 49-year-old after he won the World Open on Saturday in Yushan, chalking up a 32nd ranking title.
After a four-year wait for a ranking success, Higgins himself admitted that he wasn’t sure how he would fare as he flew straight to Hong Kong for the Grand Prix, but it has gone very well, with wins over Ali Carter and now Wilson.
The Wizard of Wishaw is a big fan of the Warrior’s game, and after getting the better of him, the Scot compared the Englishman to one of the stars of the past.
‘I needed to play well today to beat Kyren because he’s beginning to have an aura around the table,’ said Higgins.
‘He reminds me of a young John Parrott, he hits the ball which such authority and really believes he is going to pot everything. That’s daunting to play against so you know you have to be at your best.’
The four-time world champ certainly was at his best, making the tournament’s highest break so far of 143 along with efforts of 100, 92 and 74.
After a long wait for a trophy, Higgins is impressively back in business and has set up a quarter-final meeting with Shaun Murphy on Friday.
‘I felt great today, there’s no pressure. Winning last week was a big monkey off my back because I’d lost in some heart-breaking finals. I have proved to myself I can still do it at this age,’ he said.
‘There were some dark times. Drives home and flights home, talking to yourself asking 2do I really need to do this? Do I need to put myself through it?”
‘But the competitive nature within me had got me to a certain level, and that wouldn’t allow me to back down and drift away neatly. That’s what kept me driving on, to taste the feeling of winning again.’
It gets no easier for the World Open champion as he faces another in-form star in Murphy in the last eight.
The Magician beat Ben Woollaston in his opener and then downed Barry Hawkins 4-1 in the last 16 to continue his impressive 2025 so far, which began with his second Masters title in January.
Elsewhere in the quarter-finals, Judd Trump takes on Hossein Vafaei, Stuart Bingham plays Mark Selby and Neil Robertson faces either Lei Peifan or Xiao Guodong.
