To bounce back from the battering his reputation has taken over the last six months, he needs to be now more than ever.
Seven matches, seven wins and a ranking title in the bag.
This victory in Germany is only the start of a long road back for the Wizard of Wishaw, but he's already shown he's made a very stern stuff. Anyone who thought Higgins may not have the stomach for the fight, could be eating their words right now.
The impact of being out of competitive action for such a lengthy spell shouldn't be under-estimated, but to come back and beat the likes of former world champions Graeme Dott, Shaun Murphy and arguably the most improved player on the circuit, Martin Gould, is one hell of an achievement.
It marks resilience personified.
There will be plenty of people that hate the comeback he's made. But in this instance, you really can't knock him. The character it shows is phenomenal. Even with many still doubting him, he manages to deliver.
Fans all across the web have been predicting Higgins to return a shadow of his former self. While this win doesn't guarantee him future success, it's a sign he has the desire and determination to re-take his place in the upper reaches of the sport.
The final ingredient is talent. We already know he has that in an abundance.
Not everyone is ready to draw a line under the match fixing allegations, but Higgins seems to have done so already. With so many critics still out there, that takes guts.
To be fair though, I'm not at all surprised either. This is John Higgins we're talking about. A man who has built his career on commitment. And it looks like he's ready to rebuild it with the same principles.
Well played John!
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