John Higgins 'enjoying' help from sports psychologist to banish 'negative thoughts' over trophy drought
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Updated 07/02/2024 at 18:02 GMT
It is nearly three years since John Higgins last won a trophy, one of the longest droughts of his career. In a bid to finally land some silverware, the Scot has revealed he is seeing a sports psychologist, after admitting "negative thoughts" are creeping into his game. The four-time World Champion has not won an event since the Players Championship in 2021. But he hopes that run will end soon.
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John Higgins has revealed he is seeing a sports psychologist in an attempt to get over his long trophy drought.
The four-time World Champion has not won an event since beating Ronnie O'Sullivan in the Players Championship final in 2021.
Since then, he has finished as a runner-up at four ranking events - the most recent of which was nearly two years ago at the Tour Championship.
It has therefore been a frustrating period for the Wizard of Wishaw, who remains determined to get back to winning ways.
"I’m speaking to someone because there has been negative thoughts," he told Metro.co.uk.
"There’s no beating about the bush, obviously in the last wee while I’ve lost some big matches and they would always surface, every time, so I’m trying to speak to someone about that, having more positive thoughts and who knows?"
It is not as if Higgins' game has collapsed altogether, given he has reached three ranking event semi-finals this season.
However, getting over that winning line has proved problematic, as shown by those last four exits at the European Masters, British Open and Scottish Open.
Such form means he sits 12th in the world rankings and 11th on the one-year list ahead of next week's Welsh Open, live on Eurosport and discovery+, an event he has won a record five times.
And he believes the visits to the psychologist are beginning to make a difference to his mentality.
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He continued: "It’s early days just yet, but I feel as if I need to work on that because every other part of my game is good. It just seems to be mindset when it’s getting a little bit difficult. I’m not good enough now to think that I can’t look at that side of things. Everybody else seems to be doing it, so why not me?
"Early days, but I’m enjoying it. It’s just good to bounce off a different person because it can be a lonely sport when you’ve not really got anyone with you, speaking about certain things. I sought him out, read about it, gave it a go.
"People have said I should in the past and I thought no, but nothing ventured nothing gained.
"You can get really negative, it would be good to get some positive thoughts.
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"People watching you, close to you, they can see it. You think you’re fine, but people see the chaos on you. So the first step is realising it. But I feel a lot better now."
Higgins, 48, will face 33-year-old Egyptian Mohamed Ibrahim in the first round of the Welsh Open in Llandudno.
The draw for the tournament has opened up after German Masters champion Judd Trump withdrew from the event.
Part of the 'Class of '92', Higgins admits he is in the twilight of his career, and with the clock ticking, he is even more desperate to taste title glory again.
"I can’t be thinking about getting too downbeat," he concluded. "Think of the positives, try and get up and try and win. When that’s all you’ve done in the career, win, I’ve got to try.
"Even if I’ve just got two years left, I want to try and give it everything while I can still do it. While I’m still playing I’ll try and do everything I can to maximise it and see where it goes."
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The Welsh Open starts on February 12 and is live on Eurosport and discovery+.
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