John Higgins has rubbished any talk that the top side of draw at the World Championship is easier than the bottom.

The Scot survived an opening-round test against Mark Davis as he wrapped up a 10-7 success on Monday and now awaits either Stuart Bingham or Graeme Dott in the last 16. Both men are former world champions, while the likes of Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy are also in Higgins’ mini-section.

Above that, Mark Williams, Kyren Wilson and perennial Crucible contender Barry Hawkins are among those lurking in any potential semi-final and Higgins knows there no easy assignments in Sheffield.

“People are saying our half of the draw is pretty easy, but there are four world champions and that’s not counting Barry Hawkins and Kyren Wilson. There’s never an easy draw and there’s always shocks aplenty here,” said Higgins.

Having held a 6-3 advantage following their opening session, breaks of 57 and 64 helped Davis to immediately close the gap to 6-5 on Monday. They then traded frames as they went into the mid-session with Higgins 7-6 in front.

The four-time winner, beaten by Mark Selby and Williams in the last two world finals, moved to the verge of victory with two sublime breaks of 135 and 132 before sealing his win.

“I played well yesterday, but today I think he let me off the hook. He missed a few balls he wouldn’t normally miss against me and I managed to come through,” Higgins added.

Higgins, 15.00 to win the world championship, would love an all-Scottish tie in round two.

“I’d like Graeme to win because he’s one of my mates on the tour and a fellow Scotsman; that would be a great occasion,” he said.