‘It only happens in snooker’ – John Higgins, 49, already thinking about retirement as he reveals what he’ll miss most

JOHN HIGGINS says he will miss the adrenaline rush of potting balls in crunch snooker moments when he hangs up his cue.
Scotland’s four-time world champion came from 5-2 down to win 6-5 against Xiao Guodong in the Players Championship quarter-finals in Telford.
Higgins, who turns 50 in May, now plays world No.1 Judd Trump in Saturday night’s semi-finals – the winner gets £150,000 on Sunday.
But he is still buzzing from how he pulled through on Friday, especially in the 11th frame decider.
The world No.7 said: “That’s what I will miss when I retire from the game.
“That pressure moment at 5-5 when you have a chance to win the match.
“You cannot replicate that any other time.
"It only happens in snooker, in crunch matches, in the business end of tournaments.
“You cannot replicate the adrenaline rush you get. That’s one thing I will definitely miss when I retire from all of this.
“I cannot wait to play Judd. It will be a packed room. I will be a big second favourite.
“I will go there relaxed, knowing I have to play well to have a chance of winning.
“Listen, it’s brilliant, I cannot wait to give it my all and enjoy the occasion against Judd.”
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 - with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
Most World Titles (modern era)