Higgins slams "pathetic" Crucible schedule after reaching World Championship QF

24 April 2023 , 11:06

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Scotland's John Higgins is in to the World Championship quarter final

John Higgins has slammed the schedule at the World Snooker Championship after winning through to the last eight.

'The Wizard of Wishaw' rolled back the years in his second round win over Kyren Wilson, routing home 13-2 to keep his unlikely bid for a fourth title alive. Higgins will play Mark Selby or Gary Wilson in his next match, with the pair's clash set to start at 7pm tonight (Monday).

Irrespective of who wins, Higgins will next be in action during the afternoon session on Tuesday and then the afternoon and evening sessions on Wednesday. And it's fair to say the all-time great isn't overly happy about it.

"It’s pathetic isn’t it?" he told Eurosport . "Every year there’s always a quarter, I’ve been coming for 29 years and every year there’s a quarter where you’re going back-to-back sessions in a quarter-final of a World Championship.

"It’s terrible, absolutely terrible. It’s pathetic. Why? Why are you out there playing for like 10 hours? It depends the way the match is going, if you’re well in front it can be great because you just want to roll on with it. But if you’re well behind you want to have a little break and you don’t want the other guy to still feel good."

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Higgins, 47, also wasn't shy on suggesting an alternative timetable: "It’s just really bad planning and we’ve had it for so many years. It should be eight frames 2.30pm Tuesday, then 10am, then 7pm."

Higgins is a three time world champion (AFP)

By hammering Wilson though, Higgins has inadvertently helped his own schedule, earning himself an extra day off with his one-sided win over the world No 7. And for all his misgivings about the organisers, the veteran could at least laud his own display.

"I’m over the moon," he added.. "Just to beat Kyren full stop, but to beat him with a session to spare, I’d never have believed that was possible. I felt as if I could just play there all day, I just felt really good. You don’t get that feeling many times here.

"8-0 in front, it was amazing. I came in thinking to try and share the session 4-4, I’d have took that at 12-4 in front. But it’s a bonus winning and getting a day off."

Fraser Watson