Neil Robertson has revealed that John Higgins possesses a snooker skill that goes unnoticed by almost everyone, making him an exceptionally tough opponent. The four-time world champion defeated the Australian 13-10 in the World Snooker Championship quarter-finals on Wednesday night, securing his 12th appearance in a Crucible semi-final. There, he will face Shaun Murphy, who overcame defending champion Zhao Xintong in the last eight.
Robertson Praises Higgins' Safety Play
Robertson was full of admiration for Higgins' tactical prowess, particularly his safety game. 'His safety was unbelievable, it really was,' Robertson said. 'It's just the little angles that he's creating that commentators wouldn't notice and perhaps people watching wouldn't notice. But when you're out there and he's blocking angles by an inch or two at a time, it's something to really sort of appreciate.'
Despite the frustration of being outplayed, Robertson acknowledged the sheer quality of Higgins' defensive work. 'I wasn't enjoying it too much, but I was admiring it,' he added.
A Tactical Masterclass
The 'Wizard of Wishaw' made life incredibly difficult for Robertson, who found himself unable to create scoring opportunities. 'I went into my chair thinking I've absolutely nailed him. He tapped the table, with a huge problem to solve, and I'm thinking I'm going to get in. I hardly was able to get in through a long red with my hand on the table once in the match. I think maybe a couple of frames before the end, maybe one other time, that was it,' Robertson explained.
'Everything was on the cushion all the time and he was just cutting out the angles for the shots to nothing. He wasn't allowing me to play thick safeties off the pack. He was blocking them with the colours so well. Tactically it was a masterclass that 99 per cent of people wouldn't see. It was very difficult for me to break down and create the opportunities.'
Robertson contrasted Higgins' approach with that of his earlier opponents. 'Against Pang [Junxu], it was a lot easier because his safety wasn't as good as John's, so I could sort of bully the exchanges a little bit more. Chris Wakelin is very attacking, so that was perfectly fine to be on those kind of terms. But John was just…he was fantastic.'
Higgins' Humble Response
Interestingly, Higgins himself felt that Robertson had the edge in the safety exchanges. 'I definitely thought Neil outplayed me with the safety really, yeah, I really did. And listen, I keep on saying it. What a champion he is. He always has been, since he's come in the game, and he's beat me a right few times. I can't tell you how much respect I've got for him as a guy and as a player, and to come out winning three tough sessions against him. It's just an unbelievable result for me,' Higgins said.
Higgins' Calm Focus
Higgins is on a superb run in Sheffield, having beaten Ali Carter, Ronnie O'Sullivan, and now Robertson. Despite the high-profile victories, he remains grounded and focused on the next challenge. 'In previous years, I'd be sitting here buzzing, but now I'm just treating it the same as every other match,' he said.
Reflecting on his mindset, Higgins added: 'Even after the O'Sullivan game, people were talking about it, “what a match”, but I was thinking, I've got Neil Robertson next, an absolute mammoth game. So that game's parked. It's the same again. An unbelievable win against Neil, but it's parked because now I've got another huge job against an unbelievable champion in Murphy. It's simple. You've got to keep your emotions low. People might think, “he's a boring old git at least crack a smile,” but it's not like that. You've just got to stay low-key and keep going on that hamster wheel.'
