Snooker star John Higgins makes cheeky Ronnie O’Sullivan request after Andy Murray example – 'He knocked me back'

Cheeky John Higgins has revealed that Ronnie O'Sullivan knocked back an offer to become his coach.

Higgins, who started his quest for a fourth UK Championship with a comfortable victory against China's He Guoqiang, admits that he's starting to plan for life beyond snooker - and even joked with old rival O'Sullivan that he could follow Andy Murray's lead by joining the Rocket's camp. Tennis ace Murray last week joined Novak Djokovic’s team for January’s Australian Open., with the two having spent the previous two decades as rivals on court.

Like Murray and Djokovic, Higgins and O'Sullivan have battled it out on the baize since they were kids and enjoyed a healthy sporting rivalry at the top of the game. Asked if he could see himself joining into the Rocket's camp for a world title bid veteran Higgins, 49, quipped: “I asked him last night and he knocked me back!

“You would love to be asked in a way. He’s an unbelievable champion. I think I’d have the patience to be a coach. I don’t know if I’d be a coach or a mentor. Who knows what the future holds in this game for a lot of us. I’m quite happy dodging about like I am at the moment.

“I’m going out to China a bit more doing some ambassadorial stuff out there which I’m enjoying. Obviously I’m still competing as well. You need to look at what the future might hold. I don’t think I could be a commentator and spend all those hours in the box. You’ve spent so much time playing the game, so I don’t think I could do that.”

But Higgins’ sole focus this week is trying to become UK champion for a fourth time. The wily Wizard of Wishaw has world No.1 Judd Trump in his way in a tasty last-16 clash this afternoon at York’s Barbican. Scot Higgins dominated the early parts of their