Former world champion John Higgins had some choice words for his performance despite advancing to the UK championship fourth round – adamant he never thought he would play so badly.
Higgins, a three-time UK champion, sealed passage out of round three with a defeat of fellow Scot Jamie Burnett 6-4 at the Barbican Centre on Monday afternoon.
The 38-year-old came from 4-3 down to win three straight frames in York and claim the match in which neither player was at their fluid best.
Higgins, who last lifted the UK title as recently as 2010, conceded he would have to improve in order to compete with the world’s best in the latter stages.
But he was also eager to point out the tricky playing conditions were contributing to his diminished ability to put together big breaks in York.
“I’m through so I’m delighted with that, but the only long I ball I potted was a crunch one,” he said. “That was my only good pot all day.
“I feel great, but it was bad. I played some silly shots which years ago I would never have played the way I did.
“It really is just soul- destroying.
“That is twice I have played on that table and it is so tight. The old players would never had done ten or 20, when you see them play. They are probably sitting there watching and giving us dog’s abuse.”
Burnett was not overly impressed with his display against Higgins at the Barbican either after he surrendered the lead to his compatriot on three separate occasions.
“That is not John at his best and when he doesn’t play at his best – if I can’t beat him like that I’m not going to beat him,” said Burnett.
Teenager Scott Donaldson’s tournament came to an end yesterday as he lost his third-round match 6-3 Joe Perry.
And Anthony McGill, who had beaten Chris Norbury 6-0 in the second round, slumped to a 6-2 defeat at the hands of Stuart Bingham.