Higgins braced for 'tough' opener

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Higgins is an odds-on favourite to beat Stevens when the 17-day marathon gets under way in Sheffield on Saturday but the Scot is not being complacent despite seeing his Welsh opponent drop out of the elite top 16.

"I can take a lot of positives from last year, I'm just hoping I can repeat the form I showed then," said defending champion Higgins.

"But against Matthew it's too tough a match to call."

Higgins and Stevens kick-off the action at 10am and will play to a finish in their best-of-19 clash in the evening session.

Other matches on the opening day see Australian Neil Robertson take on former finalist Nigel Bond, Masters runner-up Stephen Lee against Northern Ireland's Joe Swail and Ali Carter taking on Barry Hawkins.

Elsewhere in the first round, Hong Kong's Marco Fu faces China's Ding Junhui, a player often touted as a future world champion.

Ding, the 2005 UK champion, will be hoping to produce a better performance than on his Sheffield debut last year when he was thrashed 10-2 by Ronnie O'Sullivan in the first round.

Two other Chinese players are in the field, Liang Wenbo, who faces 1997 winner Ken Doherty, and 17-year-old Liu Chuang who takes on O'Sullivan.

Provisional world number one Shaun Murphy is up against veteran Dave Harold and seven-time champion Stephen Hendry faces Mark Allen. Welshman Ryan Day, who has leapt from 16th to seventh in the rankings, faces Irishman Michael Judge.