John Higgins: "I'm feeling confident about my game"

John Higgins has insisted that he feels mentally prepared heading into this year's Snooker World Championship, as he aims to land a fifth Crucible crown.

The 39-year-old, who last tasted success at the showpiece event back in 2011, has largely struggled for form since making his return to the sport following a high-profile suspension five years ago.

Having won the Welsh Open earlier this term, his first ranking title in two-and-a-half years, the Scotsman is now confident of ending his recent World Championship hoodoo in style over the next fortnight.

"I'm going to The Crucible in a better frame of mind this year than I have in the last few years. I'm feeling confident about my game," he told the Daily Record. "Mentally I feel in a lot better place than I have been in the last few years.

"I'm hitting the ball well and playing with confidence. It's been a tough couple of years but I felt something click at the Masters when I played Mark Allen. I played really well in that match and still lost but I felt good about the way I played and felt as if I'd turned the corner."

Higgins will get his campaign underway when he takes on qualifier Robert Milkins in the first round this afternoon.