Judd Trump has nothing but respect for John Higgins (Pictures: Getty)
Judd Trump says John Higgins is in the top two best players he has ever played and used to rate the Scot more than Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Trump and Higgins meet in the UK Championship last 16 on Thursday in a repeat of two World Championship finals.
The Wizard of Wishaw is a four-time world champion and widely regarded as one of the greatest players ever to pick up a cue.
The current world number one has played the likes of Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis professionally, but not in their primes, so he puts Higgins and O’Sullivan as the top two in players he has faced. Saying there is not much between them.
Asked where Higgins stands on his all-time list, Trump said: ‘In terms of players I’ve played, probably one or two, he’s that close with Ronnie.
‘When I first turned professional John was in his prime, I think, and I really struggled to beat him and I was playing well at the time. He would edge it every time with an unbelievable clearance in the last frame.
‘Consistently at the start of my career I would have put John above Ronnie. I think Ronnie’s got longevity, just because John hasn’t won as much in the last 5-10 years in terms of big events. But on their day they’re both special.’
Higgins memorably beat a youthful Trump in the 2011 Crucible final (Picture: Getty Images)
Trump and Higgins’ head-to-head is pretty even over their careers (in all competitions, their overall record stands at Higgins 26-24 Trump with one draw), but the Englishman has had the better of things in recent years, winning their last four meetings and only losing once in major events to the Scot since 2018.
‘I try not to get too carried away, I know my record against him is good recently. I’d much rather it was that way than the other way round,’ said Trump.
‘I think when you have lost to someone a lot it’s always in the back of your head. Especially if I can get off to a quick start. There’s maybe an inner belief against him that I didn’t have at the start of my career.
Trump got the better of Higgins in the 2019 World Championship final (Picture: Getty Images)
‘I think you can never get carried away against someone like John, he’s a great player. There’s no reason why he can’t go on and win this event, but obviously I’m going to try my best to stop him.
‘After you beat someone a few times the fear factor becomes less. But the ultimate compliment is that I raise my game against him all the time because I know how good he is.
‘When you grow up watching someone on the TV, there’s probably not many of them left like that, but when you grow up watching them and then play them there’s a little bit of a different feeling, different incentive, rather than growing up with players you’ve played your whole life. It is a bit more special when you play your idols. You’ve got to cherish it in this kind of event.’
Trump is favourite to lift the trophy this weekend in York (Picture: Getty Images)
Asked if he reckons Higgins is sick of him after recent meetings, he said: ‘Probably. I was sick of him at the start of my career so I can imagine he’s sick of me.
‘I feel like I know I have to raise my game against him. He probably knows that and feels a bit hard done by because I always do play well against him.
‘He’s probably thinking a couple of times that if I’d have lost in the game before then he could have won a couple more titles. I think he’s been knocking at the door, even though the titles haven’t come.’
The latest clash between Trump and Higgins takes place at 1pm on Thursday at the Barbican, with the winner going on to play Stuart Bingham or Zhang Anda in the quarter-finals.