How John Higgins could smash landmark 43-year snooker record at China Open as race to catch world No. 1 Judd Trump heats up in Far East

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The evergreen Mark Williams became the oldest winner of a ranking event when he won the Xi'an Grand Prix last season, with 10-3 final victory over Shaun Murphy. Could we soon see the oldest world No. 1 ever?

'What a contest between two all-time legends' - Higgins celebrates epic win over O'Sullivan

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At the age of 50 years and 206 days old, the prodigious Welsh potter usurped his compatriot Ray Reardon, who was 50 years and 14 days old when he defeated Jimmy White 10-5 to win the Professional Players Tournament in October 1982.

There is suddenly a chance we could soon witness the oldest world No. 1 in the modern history of the sport if John Higgins can claim the China Open in Taiyuan City next month.

Judd Trump has been world No. 1 since August 2024, but his position is under threat at the outset of the new campaign due to 500,000 points coming off his total from his 10-9 win over Williams in the Saudi Arabia Masters final two years ago.

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With the Saudi Arabia Masters removed from the calendar, the first major ranking event of the season comes with the China Open, which is returning to the main circuit after a seven-year absence.

If Higgins, who turned 51 in May, can claim the £250,000 first prize at the China Open - which is live on TNT Sports and HBO Max - there is every chance he could end August as the oldest world No. 1 in history.

The China Open takes place from August 8-16, with the Wuhan Open running from August 23-29.

Higgins is due to face 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham in the first round of the China Open, with Liu Hongyu his first opponent in Wuhan.

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Reardon occupied the lofty position at the age of 50 for the 1982/83 season before fellow six-time world champion Steve Davis assumed top spot following his 18-6 win over Cliff Thorburn in the 1983 Crucible final.

Reardon was also the first world No. 1 in 1975 with Thorburn, Davis, Stephen Hendry, Higgins, Williams, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby, Judd Trump, Ding Junhui and Mark Allen the other men to achieve the honour.

Zhao Xintong, world champion in 2025, is also competing at the Championship League in Leicester this month as he bids to become only the 13th player of the modern era to become world No. 1.

Higgins first occupied top spot following the first of his four world title wins in 1998, before further spells there in 2007, 2010 and 2011.

Bridging a 15-year gap this season would be an astonishing achievement, even by the Wishaw player's remarkable standards.

'Unexpectedly one-sided' - Williams seals emphatic victory over Murphy to create history

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Whatever happens at the China Open and Wuhan Open, the jostle for the top spot in the rankings looks to be a close-run affair this season with Trump, Robertson, world champion Wu Yize, Zhao, Shaun Murphy and Selby all in the conversation if they can run into some title-winning form.

Meanwhile, the Xi'an Grand Prix has been replaced by the Shenzhen Open with Williams defending the trophy between September 28 to October 4.

'What a shot' - Wu pots stunning red to set up winning break in deciding frame

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