John Higgins is determined to make amends for his UK championship disappointment by lifting the Masters crown at Wembley.
The reigning world cham-pion has been the most consistent player on the planet in the last 12 months but was denied a stockpile of titles following defeats in the finals of the Beijing and UK championships as well as the semis of the Shanghai Masters and the Grand Prix.
The UK championship defeat last month was a sore one as he went down 10-8 to Ding Junhui in a hard-fought encounter.
Higgins said: “I’ve been very consistent and that is really pleasing.
“Nine months ago, if someone had offered me the world title plus those other semis and finals, I’d have bitten their hand off.
“But it’s all about winning titles so I’m disappointed not to have won anything this season.
“The UK final last month was a blow.
“Ding deserved to win but it was hard for me to go home without the trophy.”
The Masters event starts today and Higgins opens his bid against Mark Allen on Wednesday.
He insisted he will need to be on top of his game to progress.
He said: “Mark is a frightening opponent when he gets on a roll.
“It’s a hard draw, but the Masters is an elite field so there’s no such thing as an easy one.”
Defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan has taken inspiration from Usain Bolt as he enters the new decade with a new approach to his snooker.
The ‘Rocket’, like Jamaican sprinter Bolt, has no peers in his sport, but his drive for perfection has contributed to the psychological demons the 34-year-old has needed to deal with since turning professional in the early 1990s.
After threatening to quit the sport on several occasions, O’Sullivan’s love for snooker is well and truly alive, albeit with an emphasis on entertaining rather than crushing all opponents.
“Usain Bolt has proved you don’t have to be so intense about everything you do,” said O’Sullivan.
“You can make things fun and still break world records and be the best at what you do in the world. I think I’ve performed my best when I’ve had that attitude.”
O’Sullivan will start the defence of his Masters title against Neil Robertson on Tuesday when his fresh approach will form an interesting sub-plot for the tournament. So will O’Sullivan’s equipment, if he decides to use the purple cue that sponsor Premier Inn has provided him.