Higgins fought back from an overdose, a stint in rehab and an awful start against Steve Davis to win the UK Championship
By Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports Blog
Alex Higgins’ life was in a state of turbulence in late 1983. First-round defeats in the International Open and Professional Players Championship showed his struggles on the green baize and his domestic situation was tumultuous to say the least. He had spent some time in a mental health hospital after he overdosed on sleeping tablets while on holiday in Majorca and, now separated from his wife Lynn, his life seemed to be spinning out of control.
Higgins had reached the final of the UK Championship the previous season but, judging by his form, the chances of a repeat in November 1983 seemed slim. Although, predicting anything with the Hurricane was never straightforward. Going into the tournament he said he was practising for 10 hours a day, so perhaps he could make his mark at the Guild Hall in Preston. Higgins had already won the World Championship in 1972 and 1982, as well as the Masters in 1978 and 1981, so a victory in the UK Championship would make him just the third player – after Steve Davis and Terry Griffiths – to win snooker’s triple crown.
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