Higgins crashes out of Welsh Open

John Higgins joined the growing list of high-profile casualties at the Welsh Open when he suffered a shock 5-4 defeat to Thailand’s James Wattana at Newport tonight.

In-form Higgins has won two titles, the Grand Prix and Saga Masters, and also appeared in the Malta Cup final already during the current season.

Despite this, his clash with Wattana was put on the only non-televised table in the arena and Higgins failed to reproduce his golden form.

“I don’t even feel that bad, it was just a nothing sort of game,” he said.

“Apart from in a couple of frames I really struggled badly. It was the same in my previous match. I couldn’t get anything to happen.

“It was one of those days where I just couldn’t play. James didn’t have to do much to beat me.”

Higgins made a 95 break to win the sixth frame and make it 3-3 before adding a scrappy seventh.

But Wattana, a former world number three now ranked 32nd in the world, fashioned runs of 42 and 60 to draw level before controlling an untidy decider.

The two-time Thailand Open champion was last a member of the elite top 16 in 1999 and is hopeful his Higgins victory will act as a springboard for a return to better times.

“It was tough playing John because he’s been the most consistent player this season,” Wattana said.

“My form has always been there, it’s just about getting the results. No matter how well you play the hardest thing is to win.

“I’m hoping it’s coming back slowly. I haven’t done anything different but sometimes you lose motivation. It’s not easy to have that same hunger all the time.”

The exit of Higgins means that none of snooker’s top-eight ranked players have made it through to the quarter-finals.

Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, Stephen Maguire, Paul Hunter and Peter Ebdon lost their opening matches while Matthew Stevens and Ken Doherty were both last 16 losers.