• Snooker news

Higgins targeting world No. 1 spot

John Higgins has set his sights on reclaiming the world No. 1 spot but admits he is feeling anxious ahead of next month's UK Championship.

The Scot was suspended in May and handed a retrospective six-month ban in September following allegations in the News of the World that he accepted money to throw frames.

The three-time world champion made a winning return to the sport at the European Tour Championship event in Hamm but the 35-year-old admits he is feeling apprehensive ahead of the UK Championship wich begins on December 4 in Telford.

"A lot of the nerves will probably be down to the fact I'll be playing in probably the second biggest tournament of the year, that's going to be adding to the nerves," he told ESPN.

"But also there is the added thing that this is my first tournament back in front of the British fans - the people that know you so well - but I'm just looking forward to playing and hopefully I'll get a good reception from them."

The current world No. 3 is eager to put the past behind him, preferring to look ahead and concentrate on winning tournaments.

"I was number one before this happened and obviously I want to finish the year as number one so that's my aim to come back."

In the wake of the scandal, World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn launched a new integrity unit for the sport to monitor betting issues and investigate alleged corruption - a decision which Higgins is in full support of.

"Over the years, I'm not speaking out of turn but snooker players wouldn't really know the rules at the start of the season," he said. "We'd sign the entry forms and just throw the rules and regulations away because all we were interested in was playing snooker.

"When it comes down to it now you've got to read the black and white really carefully and that's what's he's done [Barry Hearn], he's come in and set it down in layman's terms and told the players and we all know definitely the way forward for the sport."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.