JOHN HIGGINS (Scotland)

World Ranking: 1

Age: 23

World Championship best: Winner (1998)

Best ranking event performance: Winner 11 tournaments - Grand Prix 1994; 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

1998/99 ranking form: Grand Prix - R1, UK - Wnr, Irish - R2, Welsh - R3, Scottish - SF, Thailand - QF, China -Wnr, Britsh - SF.

Deposed Stephen Hendry as world number one after reaching a total of six finals in 1997/98, winning three, to prove the season's most consistent player.

Capped the year by beating Ken Doherty 18-12 in the World Championship final and he also broke the record for most century breaks at the Crucible in one year when compiling his 14th in the last frame of the final.

Continued that fine form this year with victory in the UK Championship, the Benson & Hedges Masters, the Liverpool Victoria Charity Challenge and his China International title triumph ensured he will remain world number one for a second straight year.

He won his first ranking event - the Grand Prix - in 1994 and captured two more titles that season, the International Open and British Open.

Higgins followed up with two more victories in the 1995-96 season, retaining the International Open and winning the German Open.

By his own admission, he struggled to produce that level of performance for much of the 1997 season but nevertheless, Higgins still managed to win a tournament - the European Open in Malta - overcoming John Parrott 9-5 in the final.

© PA Sporting Life