John Higgins (snooker player) title, which prompted Steve Davis to comment "I think John Higgins is the best snooker player I've ever seen in my life". Despite the victory, Higgins lost the world number one ranking to Mark Williams. Higgins had a poor 2011/2012 season, reaching only two quarter finals of major ranking events. His season-best performance was reaching the semi-finals of the Masters, where he lost 4–6 to Shaun Murphy. Before the start of his World Championship title defence, he admitted that his performance levels had not been good enough and that he had not been trying hard enough, managing just one or
John Smyth (snooker referee) John Smyth (snooker referee) John Smyth (28 May 1928 – 4 January 2007) was one of snooker's leading referees in the 1970s and 1980s. He officiated in two World Snooker Championship finals, including the first to be held at the Crucible Theatre in 1977. The second came in 1982 when Alex Higgins won his second world title. He also oversaw the match in which Kirk Stevens compiled a maximum 147 break at the 1984 Wembley Masters. Born in Ireland, Smyth worked as a London Underground driver. He was Piccadilly line snooker champion six times, before becoming a referee in 1978.