John Higgins hails rising snooker star who left him ‘feeling really old’

Rising snooker star Stan Moody earned high praise from four-time world champion John Higgins after their recent match, with the teenager leaving the veteran ‘feeling really old’ at the table.

The 19-year-old beat the Wizard of Wishaw 5-4 at the World Open in Yushan last month as he continues his climb up the world rankings as Britain’s brightest young talent on the baize.

It was the first time the pair had played professionally and Higgins was thoroughly impressed with the world number 44.

In fact, the 50-year-old was made to feel his years in a way he hadn’t previously during his immense career, which reached 2,000 pro matches when he faced Moody.

Asked how highly he rates Moody after their Yushan meeting, Higgins told Metro: ‘Highly, very highly, with the way he hits the ball.

‘It was funny because I was getting so many texts from a few people saying, do you know this is your 2000th match?

‘I went out and Stan was potting them off the lampshades, and I’m thinking to myself, “I feel old here.” That’s one of the first times I really felt really old, playing that match.

‘It was a crazy feeling, but I managed to get myself back into it, but then Stan got over the line really well.

‘I think just looking at his face, I just felt, “My God, I feel old here.” I go to the toilet, I look in the mirror and I’m like, “Wow.” I’ve just got to try and knock that out of me. You can’t be thinking of things like that because it’s not good for your snooker.’

Moody has already been on tour for three seasons and the progress has been notable, reaching his first two ranking quarter-finals this season at the Wuhan Open and British Open.

Higgins reckons there is plenty more to come from him as well, adding: ‘I’d obviously been watching his progress in the last year or two and he had a little problem with his cue action, he spoke about maybe getting up and down a lot off the shots, but he’s a lot more fluent now.

‘Listen, he hits the ball as well as anyone. Honestly, I was so impressed with him and I think it’s great. I think it’s great for him going forward. He’s really improved.

‘And he seems to be doing a few things off the table as well on social media. He’s filming different things, which is great for young people in the game. He’s definitely on the right path, without a doubt.’

Moody described his win over Higgins, in which he made six half-centuries, as probably his finest victory since turning pro.

‘It felt amazing to beat John in China,’ Moody told BestBettingSites.co.uk. ‘Probably my best win on tour.

‘I’ve beaten other players like Kyren Wilson, Ding Junhui, Barry Hawkins, Ali Carter. But yeah, it felt amazing, in front of a big crowd as well.’

Moody is looking to finish off the season on a high by reaching the Crucible for the first time, but must win two qualifying matches to get there.

His first comes against Robbie Williams over two sessions on Sunday morning and evening.