Snooker: Higgins to make return in Germany

Former world champion John Higgins is set to launch his comeback at the Euro Players Tour Championship in Germany next month.

The Scot will take on Joe Jogia on 11 November in his first match since a surprise defeat to Steve Davis in round two at the Crucible in April.

Higgins, 35, was cleared of match-fixing but hit with a six-month ban and a fine of £75,000 in September for breaching rules around betting. The News of the World alleged he had agreed to throw frames in matches which he believed were set to be arranged for later in the year. The punishment was backdated to the start of Higgins' suspension at the start of May, meaning he can compete again from early next month.

Higgins, who won world titles in 1998, 2007 and 2009, has lost his No 1 status during the ban and is now third in the world rankings, behind Neil Robertson and Ali Carter.