Higgins 'enthusiastic' over future despite Crucible exit
John Higgins' new cue has him "enthusiastic" for the next snooker season despite this week's defeat in the World Championship quarter-finals.
The 48-year-old Scot last week dismissed speculation that he could retire from the game as he reached the last 16 in Sheffield for the 18th time.
But the four-time champion needed the subsequent victory over world number three Mark Allen to ensure he did not drop out of the top 16 in the rankings for the first time since 1995.
Higgins, who revealed in February that he had "gone back to old school basics" with a shorter cue similar to the length that helped him win the title four times, said prior to the tournament that he would "evaluate" his future depending on his performance in Sheffield.
However, after admitting "he overpowered me" as he then lost 13-8 to 12th-seeded Englishman Kyren Wilson, he told BBC Sport: "I'm enthusiastic because I think I've got a nice piece of wood that I think I can go into the new season feeling a lot happier with."
Higgins suggested "it was a bit of a stretch" playing it at the Crucible considering it was the first time in a tournament but revealed: "I was really enjoying it out there."
His emotional response to defeating Allen had renewed speculation about his future in the game, but Higgins is "committing to playing snooker now and I'm committing to obviously trying to get back here".
The 13th seed stressed: "I don't want that to be my final match at the Crucible. I'll still be playing snooker."
Higgins had beaten Wilson three times previously, including 13-2 at the Crucible last year, but told his opponent it was "the best I've seen him" as the Englishman progressed to face compatriot David Gilbert, who defeated Scotland's Stephen Maguire 13-8.
"He was very powerful and hit the ball fantastic," he added. "The best man won. He was by far the better player there.
"My brain was a little bit fried. I was really lethargic in the second session and, to get out at 9-7, I thought I had won the lottery, but there were just little shots that you cannot afford to make at that level when someone's playing at that level."
