Higgins cut after Snooker World draw

HIGGINS CUT FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS FOLLOWING FAVOURABLE DRAW

John Higgins has been trimmed a point into 9-2 (from 11-2) by Coral bookmakers to win the 2010 World Championships in April following the draw earlier today.

The defending champion takes on Barry Hawkins in the first round, and then faces a possible clash with six times world champion Steve Davis in round two.

"With a straight forward passage through to the semi-final looking a sure thing, it`s definitely a draw that suits the defending champion, but that`s on paper of course, things don`t always go to plan on the table, but he had to be shortened up in the betting," said Coral spokesman Gary Burton.

Ronnie O`Sullivan is once again the favourite at the crucible, and faces a potentially tricky tie against the talented Chinaman Liang Wenbo.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SNOOKER

• 3-1 Ronnie O`Sullivan
• 9-2 (from 11-2) John Higgins
• 7-1 Mark Selby
• 10-1 Ding Junhui
• 12-1 Shaun Murphy, Neil Robertson
• 14-1 Stephen Maguire
• 18-1 Mark Williams
• 20-1 Mark Allen
• 25-1 Ali Carter
• 33-1 Jamie Cope, Ryan Day, Liang Wenbo, Stephen Hendry