Veteran Steve Davis dumps champion John Higgins out of World Championship

STEVE Davis pulled off the greatest shock of the World Snooker Championship today when he sent last year's winner John Higgins out of the tournament.

• Steve Davis plays a shot on the way to a stunning win over John Higgins (right)

Backed by massive support this year at the Crucible, on his 30th appearance, Davis followed up his final-frame win over Mark King in the first round with the biggest scalp possible.

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Higgins, who was 13 years old when Davis won his sixth and most recent world title in 1989, played a poor match by his standards.

But Davis still had to take the chances when they came his way and, at the age of 52, he has a quarter-final to look forward to after a magnificent 13-11 victory.

Davis received a standing ovation as he exited the arena.

"I just cannot really believe that I played strongly enough to beat John," Davis said. "I knew I was playing well in the build-up to the World Championship.

"I hoped I would play well in the first round and I fancied that I was playing okay but you never know until you actually get here."

Today he managed to hold off Higgins and said: "I suppose the inner belief grew as the match went closer and closer.

"Then of course the nerves kicked in and until I potted the final pink and held myself together while I was shaking like a leaf, perhaps I didn't believe it was going to happen."