Northern Ireland Open snooker: 'Break it on the boogie' John Higgins thanks Scotland football heroes

ByEurosport

Updated 18/11/2020 at 16:37 GMT

John Higgins rolled in the highest break of the Northern Ireland Open with a classy 144 in a 4-0 drubbing of Daniel Wells in the first round. The four-times world champion admits he has been on a high since Scotland's football team ended their 22-year wait to reach a major international tournament with a famous victory in Serbia on penalties last Thursday.

John Higgins trounced Daniel Wells 4-0 in the Northern Ireland Open first round – then revealed it was all down to Scotland's football team.

The four-times world champion hit the highest break of the tournament with a brilliant knock of 144 in the second frame that was quickly followed by runs of 51 and 54 to secure his place in the second round behind closed doors at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes.

Higgins will face Patrick Wallace or Farakh Ajaib for a place in the last 32, but will fancy his chances against any player on this level of form.

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Scotland's footballers have gone viral with their post-match celebrations in Belgrade as they danced to the massive 1977 hit Yes Sir, I Can Boogie by Spanish girl duo Baccara after qualifying for the delayed Euro 2020 – ending the country's 22-year wait to reach a major finals.

For Higgins, it was a case of break it on the boogie. The man dubbed the 'Wizard of Wishaw' won his first world title in 1998 – the same year Scotland last contested a tournament at the World Cup in France.

Higgins knocks in fantastic 144 break against Wells

"I was certainly boogying tonight out there, absolutely delighted," said Higgins, who won the snooker World Cup for Scotland last year with Stephen Maguire. "It's just down to all the boys winning last Thursday, all the Scottish boys.

"I've got the biggest smile possible and it's all down to them.

"Listen, I know what I've said before but what's been happening to the whole world in the last few months you've just got to try and get on with life and maybe that's a wake-up call to people and whatever.

"I take every day as it comes, every tournament as it comes..come down and enjoy it as best you can."

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