Higgins started the 2012–13 season well, winning his 25th ranking title at the Shanghai Masters after coming back from 2–7 down to defeat Judd Trump 10–9 in the final. He made a maximum break during the final, and compiled another 147 break in his second-round match against Mark Davis at the 2012 UK Championship. He also won the minor-ranking Kay Suzanne Memorial Trophy, defeating Trump 4–2 in the final, and reached the final of the minor-ranking Bulgarian Open, where he lost 0–4 to Trump. However, the season thereafter was another disappointing one for Higgins, who lost 3–4 to unranked amateur Jordan Brown at the minor-ranking Scottish Open and reached only one other semi-final of a major ranking event, the World Open, which he lost 2–6 to Mark Allen. He exited the World Championship in the first round, losing 6–10 to Mark Davis. Afterward, he admitted that doubts about whether he could remain at the pinnacle of the sport after 20 years as a professional had affected his form. He finished the season ranked 11th, slipping out of the top 10 for the first time in 17 seasons.