Rocket wary of Higgins class

Ronnie O’Sullivan admits he will need to be on his guard against a confident John Higgins as two of the finest players in world snooker prepare to meet in the semi-finals of the UK Championship.

O’Sullivan and Higgins set up a stellar last-four clash by posting crushing victories in their respective quarter-final matches in Telford last night.

World number one O’Sullivan wrapped up a 9-3 triumph over Mark Selby while Higgins was at his clinical best as he compiled a one-sided 9-2 win over China’s Liang Wenbo.

O’Sullivan and Higgins will meet in the semis tomorrow, with Stephen Maguire and Ding Junhui doing battle in the first semi later today.

But it is the meeting between the two three-time world champions that will have snooker fans licking their lips in anticipation, and O’Sullivan concedes he is coming up against a player in top form.

“Snooker has been blessed with certain players who play the game the way it should be,” O’Sullivan told www.worldsnooker.com.

“My first choice is Stephen Hendry but he’s easier to play against in a way because there isn’t a lot of strategy involved, it’s long red and game over.

“John is different, he’s more of an all-round match player. He’s confident at the moment and he’s dispatching people.”