I'm losing my belief that I can win fifth world title

Higgins now going mental

- NEIL GOULDING

SCOTS snooker star John Higgins has admitted the belief he can win a famous fifth World Championship is slowly dwindling as the years go by.

But the Wizard of Wishaw, 48, has linked up with a sports psychologist in his bid to finally conjure up another Crucible crown.

Snooker's spiritual Sheffield home is a 17-day marathon of the mind as much as the body.

And even the greatest players ever have wanted the ground to swallow them up at the intimate venue as matches and titles have slipped away from their grasp.

Higgins will make his 30th straight Crucible appearance against tough Welsh qualifier Jamie Jones, who dumped out 2010 champion Neil Robertson in the final round of qualifying.

But the world No.13 admits he's struggling to truly find the motivation.