Why they rank here
The finest all-round technician of the modern era and the most durable competitor of a remarkable generation. Higgins won world titles in 1998, 2007, 2009 and 2011 and reached eight world finals in total, including three consecutive losing finals in 2017, 2018 and 2019, two of them decided in the final frame. He has more than 30 ranking titles, three UK Championships, two Masters and nine Triple Crown titles, and has compiled more than 900 career centuries. What sets him apart is completeness: he is regarded across the tour as the best safety player of his generation while also being capable of clearing from behind under maximum pressure, most famously in the deciding frames of his later Crucible finals. Turning professional in 1992 alongside Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Williams, he was still winning ranking events past 45 and still competing at the top of the tour in his fifties.
Career profile
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Head-to-head
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