Provisional world ranking: 3

Age: 24

World Championship best: Winner (1998)

Best ranking event performance: Winner of 13 tournaments - Grand Prix 1994; 1999 International Open 1995, 1996; British Open 1995, 1997; German Open 1995, 1997 European Open 1997; Embassy World Championship 1998; UK Championship 1998; China International 1999; Regal Welsh 2000; Grand Prix 2000; Benson & Hedges Irish Masters 2000.

1999/2000 ranking form: British - QF, Grand Prix - Wnr, UK - SF, China - Qual, Welsh - Wnr, Malta - QF, Thailand - Qual, Irish - Wnr, Scottish - QF.

Claimed the number one spot from Stephen Hendry after the 1998 World Championship but is currently struggling to hold onto that position. Higgins is provisionally ranked number two behind Mark J Williams.

The Wizard of Wishaw has enjoyed a good season with victory at the Grand Prix, Regal Welsh and Benson & Hedges Irish. This season he has also been a UK semi-finalist and made his first competitive maximum break during the Nations Cup 2000 in Reading.

During the 1998/99 season Higgins captured the UK Championship, B&H Masters, The Charity Challenge, China International and the Premier Snooker League.

There have been times recently when he has played below par, most notably his 5-1 defeat by Peter Lines in the China International qualifying round but bounced back to win the Regal Welsh.

Higgins won his first ranking event - the Grand Prix - in 1994.