John Higgins starts his quest for a fourth UK Championship title against China’s He Guoqiang.
The Hurricane, ranked 14th globally, comes into the clash as a hot favourite against the world number 60 and comfortably won 4-1 at the Scottish Open in 2023 the last time the two met. And Higgins will be keen to build on the performances that took him to the British Open final in September, before losing 10-5 in a dramatic final against Englishman Mark Selby – in a match that included a stunning opening session where both players’ pot success rates sat at over 95 percent.
Higgins has three UK Snooker Championships to his name, but none for more than a decade – with the most recent coming in 2010 when he defeated Mark Williams 10-9. That was his first at the Barbican since winning two in three years between 1998 and 2000, and he suffered final heartbreak in 2009 being defeated by Ding Junhui.
When does the match get underway?
The first round match opens the afternoon session, with play underway from 1pm on Tuesday November 26.
Who stands in his way?
Standing between Higgins and a second round place is 24-year-old Chinese opponent He Guoqiang – who is ranked as the number 60 seed, and will be no pushover after defeating Ronnie O’Sullivan twice already this season. That wasn’t his first high profile scalp either, having defeated eighth seed Kyran Wilson in the first round of the Wuhan Open in September 2023, on his first year on the world tour – dramatically winning the deciding frame from 67-0 down
How can I watch it?
The match will be broadcast live on BBC Two, with coverage beginning at 1pm. It is also available to stream on the BBC iPlayer, whilst Discovery+ has complete coverage of the whole tournament with passes available for £6.99 a month.
How did Stephen Maguire get on?
Higgins will be looking to restore some Scottish pride after reigning World Champion Kyren Wilson breezed beyond former winner Stephen Maguire 6-0 on November 25, leaving Higgins as the only Scot left in the tournament. Maguire, a finalist in 2019 and winner in 2004, follows four of the 16 seeded players in being eliminated from the tournament on the opening two days – including top seed and 2023 champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and fifth seed Mark Selby.