Tearful four-time world champion John Higgins overcame immense emotions to beat Joe O’Connor 10-7 at the Crucible.

The 49-year-old was out of sorts in losing the morning session 5-4 but returned later in the day to turn things around and admitted afterwards he was battling strong feelings.

After edging 6-5 ahead, he finally produced a break of note with a century in the 12th frame. 

Although his opponent, who had been on course for the 15th 147 in Crucible history until he missed a 13th red in the morning, fought back to 7-7, the veteran Scot pulled through to win the final three frames. 

‘That was the most emotional I have ever been today,’ Higgins, who came into this year’s tournament in top form after clinching the Tour Championship title earlier this month, told BBC Sport before breaking down.

Higgins’ father-in-law suffered a heart attack last week and his wife is not at the Crucible for the World Championship as a result.

John Higgins had an emotional day at the Crucible which ended with a hug live on-air from presenter Seema Jaswal on BBC Two

BBC presenter Jaswal was on hand to comfort Higgins after he broke down live on air

Higgins pulled out of events before the tournament after his wife’s father had a heart attack – the Scot is pictured with his family including his wife (second left) earlier this month

Higgins is pictured with his wife and kids in November 2016 after beating Ronnie O’Sullivan to win silverware

Higgins lost his own father – John Senior – to cancer after a six-year battle in February 2011

‘I left my wife (behind) and I was in tears,’ he said. ‘Obviously my father-in-law wasn’t great and I was having dinner with my boy last night and thinking about sitting here with my dad 25 years ago. 

‘I was drained today. I had a couple of hours sleep and I came out and felt and played a lot better. I am still so proud that I am still playing at a good level at this age.’

BBC presenter Seema Jaswal hugged Higgins live-on-air after he explained why he was overcome with emotions. 

Higgins lost his father to cancer after a six-year battle in February 2011. 

The snooker star tried to race back from Berlin – where he was competing in the German Masters tournament – but was told his father had passed away as he was boarding a flight back to Glasgow. 

He said in a statement at the time: ‘I am very sorry to withdraw.

‘I hope my fans will understand my decision as my family comes first.’

There had been doubts over whether Higgins would take part in this month’s competition at all ahead of his opening match. 

The family emergency saw him miss the Green Carpet ceremony ahead of the tournament, as well as the pre-event media day after deciding to remain in Scotland. 

Higgins will now face China’s Xiao Guodong in the Round of 16 as he looks to make more Crucible history this year. 

Should the 49-year-old go all the way in the World Championship, he will become the oldest ever winner of the competition. 

Despite being a four-time world champion, Higgins has said his son Pierce is recognised more than him because of his comedy sketches. 

Pierce and close friend Lewis Reid created comedy account Jamaica Street which has amassed four million likes on TikTok. 

Higgins told The Sun in December 2023: ‘I’m being truthfully honest, when I go out with him to the football or a meal it’s amazing how many people recognise him and not me!

‘They maybe think, ‘I’ve seen this old guy before but I don’t know what he does’.

‘But it’s unbelievable the amount of young people that recognise him because of TikTok or these different platforms.

John and Denise are pictured with son Pierce at the Crucible Theatre in May 2007

‘Him and his pal Lewis have been doing it for a couple of years and he’s also trying to get into the stand-up comedy scene in Scotland.

‘He’s following his dream, that’s what I did when I was 16, 17, 18 into my early 20s and luckily enough it happened for me in snooker and I’d dearly love for it to happen with him as well. 

‘It’s what you’d love for all three of your kids.

‘It’s what he loves doing. He’s listened to comedy all his life listening to me!’

Higgins’ emotional outpouring came after a bizarre clash with O’Connor, in which Higgins’ less-experienced rival seemingly handed him a golden opportunity to knock him out. 

The favourite failed to get out of a snooker, hitting the pink while playing the ball at pace and leaving the cue ball in an awkward position. 

The rules dictate that O’Connor could have asked Higgins to then take the ensuing shot as he had not missed the target ball, which would have been a very tricky shot, but instead decided to risk it himself. 

The 49-year-old benefited from a bizarre call from his opponent to seal a tight 10-7 victory

But the four-time world champion came through to set up a Last-16 clash with Xiao Guodong

The Scottish veteran revealed that he had undergone a difficult day as a result of a family emergency

Rival Joe O’Connor decided against putting Higgins back in after a failed snooker escape

With a tricky pink on offer, O’Connor’s gamble did not pay off, and he ultimately missed and gave Higgins a great opportunity to seal the frame, with legend Steve Davis clearly perplexed by the decision.  

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‘The thing I cannot understand is why did Joe not put John back in?’ Davis asked on commentary.

‘It’s not a foul and a miss because he needed snookers. John played it with pace. The cue ball goes into a nasty position.

‘Joe could have said, ‘you play that shot’. That was strange.

‘You stop making the correct decision under pressure with the positional side. That was unforgivable, not to put your opponent back in. He sacrificed the safety exchange.

‘John would have been expected to have been put back in.’