LOCAL boy John Higgins will not be overawed when he takes on six-time
world snooker champion Steve Davis in this morning's opening match in
the Regal Masters at Motherwell Civic Centre.
Higgins won the inaugural World Masters junior title early last year
and undoubtedly is among the half a dozen leading young stars who will
be hoping to make a big impact this season. He turned professional in
the summer and, as a member of Ian Doyle's CueMasters team, he has had
the opportunity to play in private against the world's leading players.
The Regal Masters is the first major domestic event of the season and
this year there is a four-pronged Scottish attack on the title led by
Stephen Hendry. The world No. 1, winner of this event in 1989 and '90,
will be in action on Friday against Terry Griffiths or Gary Wilkinson.
Following Higgins to the table this afternoon will be Alan McManus,
now ranked world No. 13 after only two years as a professional, which is
easily the fastest rise of any player under the present system of
ranking points.
He faces James Wattana, the star from Thailand, who is the most feared
opponent outwith the top four.
Tonight's session features Neal Foulds and Chris Small, the Edinburgh
player who came into the public eye when he joined Hendry and McManus in
the televised stages of the world championship in April.
Sadly, Small will not be at Sheffield next spring as he has already
been eliminated in the qualifying stages. So also has the man who will
play the winner of the Small-Foulds tie -- Mike Hallett. He suffered a
devastating 10-7 defeat by Northern Ireland's Joe Swail after having led
7-2 in the final qualifying round for Sheffield.
* BOOKMAKERS William Hill have secured a contract with the World
Professional Billiards and Snooker Association to provide betting
facilities at major snooker tournaments in the UK. The service was
previously provided by Corals.
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