Family man Williams turns back the clock

WORLD SNOOKER FINAL 

(5) John Higgins 16-18 Mark Williams (7)

Session one (3-5)
23-75, 15-65, 35-72, (55) 60-70, (119) 120-4, 0-133 (95), (52) 98-0, (59) 82-21
Session two (4-5)
46-81 (72), (51) 75-31, (127) 127-8, 12-76, (56) 85-9, (117) 123-15, 0-123 (118), 35-64 (64), 43-80
Session three (3-5)
5-98 (61), 19-73 (56), 0-126 (69, 56), 7-63 (52), (67) 92-29, (72) 76-65 (65), (80) 80-0, 43-80
Session four (6-3)
(131) 131-1, (67) 68-58 (58), (82) 82-47, 91-0, (62) 67-47, 0-74, 14-104 (100), (65) 65-63 (63), 0-71 (69)

MARK WILLIAMS won an incredible third world snooker title - 15 years after his last Crucible triumph - as he beat fellow veteran John Higgins 18-16.

The final was notable for the fact that Welsh Potting Machine and the Wizard From Wishaw both turned professional in the same year - back in 1992.

Yet remarkably, a quarter of a century on, here they both were in the world snooker final, producing the closest contest - in terms of scoreline - since Shaun Murphy beat Matthew Stevens in 2005.

In truth, Williams would have kicked himself if he had not taken the best-of-35 encounter.

After all, the 43-year-old from Ebbw Vale won the first four frames on Sunday afternoon, and was never behind at any stage of the two-day final.

However, far from being one-sided, this was a classy affair throughout from two experienced players - and, in all, there were six centuries with four of them coming from the defeated Higgins.

The 42-year-old Scotsman stroked his first ton home in the fifth frame of the match to get on the board in his seventh final.

But Williams responded with a run of 95 - and, though Higgins then took the last two frames of the first session, he was generally held at arm's length throughout the first three periods of play.

In fairness, Higgins did make it 7-7 on Sunday evening after compiling two centuries in four frames either side of the mid-session interval.

Once again, though, Williams quickly found an answer with a 118 - and his first ton of the match prompted him then to take the last two frames on Sunday as well.

Parity for Higgins had gone in a flash as Williams took a 10-7 overnight lead into Bank Holiday Monday.

In the third session on Monday afternoon, matters only improved further for Williams as again he took the first four frames of the day to increase his lead to a seemingly impregnable 14-7.

Higgins subsequently stopped the rot by winning three of the next four - but the truth was that his Welsh opponent had dominated proceedings in each of the first three sessions.

Trailing 15-10 heading into Monday evening, the four-time champion knew he was going to have to produce something special.

Higgins, of course, obliged. A 131, two fine clearances when under scoreboard pressure, and a shut-out all contributed to an incredible 99% pot success rate in the four frames up to the mid-session interval.

Then, in the 30th frame, Higgins drew level for the first time since the middle of session two with a break of 62 in yet another comeback frame.

Effectively, the final had become a best-of-five. Higgins held all of the momentum but there cannot be anyone who is more relaxed on the snooker circuit than Williams.

Unsurprisingly, he did not panic - even if he took two bites at the cherry to take frame 31. It was almost as if he knew it was going to be this tough.

Nevertheless, the Welshman made it look easy in frame 32 as his 12th century of the tournament - an exact 100 - took him within a frame of the title.

In the next frame, Williams indeed was one ball away - but, after a missed pink, Higgins made yet another nerveless comeback clearance.

Williams, though, was ultimately not to be denied, as he kept Higgins off the table with a match-winning break of 69.

The 2000 and 2003 champion celebrated his third world title by conducting a naked press conference, fulfilling a promise he had made before the championship in the event of victory.

"This was one of the most enjoyable matches and it was always going to be tough against John," he said, while attempting to cover his modesty.

"The occasion was brilliant and the crowd got involved too. It was an emotional experience that I did not think I was going to get again. Twice is brilliant but three times is unbelievable."

Williams then celebrated with an all-nighter before eventually falling asleep on the couch.

But, despite his merry high jinks, the Welshman is a down-to-earth, family man who is appreciated among the professional snooker ranks at large.

Throughout the tournament, his middle son of three, Kian, has accompanied him in his interviews, probably not quite realising what he was witnessing.

Indeed, none of the Welshman's three sons - Connor, Kian or Joel - were alive when he previously won the world title.

But, even if Williams never wins on the baize again, his sons will have now seen something truly historic.

For, no one ever has won a world snooker title after a 15-year gap until Williams this year. His victory is an incredible achievement.

2018 WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIPS

FULL RESULTS

FIRST ROUND
Best of 19 frames

	(1) Mark Selby	4-10	Joe Perry
	(16) Mark Allen	10-5	Liam Highfield
	(9) Kyren Wilson	10-3	Matthew Stevens
	(8) Shaun Murphy	9-10	Jamie Jones
	(5) John Higgins	10-7	Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
	(12) Stuart Bingham	7-10	Jack Lisowski
	(13) Luca Brecel	6-10	Ricky Walden
	(4) Judd Trump	10-9	Chris Wakelin
	(3) Ding Junhui	10-3	Xiao Guodong
	(14) Anthony McGill	10-8	Ryan Day
	(11) Marco Fu	5-10	Lyu Haotian
	(6) Barry Hawkins	10-7	Stuart Carrington
	(7) Mark Williams	10-5	Jimmy Robertson
	(10) Neil Robertson	5-10	Robert Milkins
	(15) Ali Carter	10-8	Graeme Dott
	(2) Ronnie O'Sullivan	10-7	Stephen Maguire

SECOND ROUND
Best of 25 frames

	Joe Perry	8-12	Mark Allen (16)
	(9) Kyren Wilson	13-5	Jamie Jones
	(5) John Higgins	13-1	Jack Lisowski
	Ricky Walden	9-13	Judd Trump (4)
	(3) Ding Junhui	13-4	Anthony McGill (14)
	Lyu Haotian	10-13	Barry Hawkins (6)
	(7) Mark Williams	13-7	Robert Milkins
	(15) Ali Carter	13-9	Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)

QUARTER FINALS
Best of 25 frames

	(16) Mark Allen	6-13	Kyren Wilson (9)
	(5) John Higgins	13-12	Judd Trump (4)
	(3) Ding Junhui	5-13	Barry Hawkins (6)
	(7) Mark Williams	13-8	Ali Carter (15)

SEMI FINALS
Best of 33 frames

	(9) Kyren Wilson	13-17	John Higgins (5)
	(6) Barry Hawkins	15-17	Mark Williams (7)

CENTURIES (84)

12	Mark Williams	140, 135, 118, 114, 113, 113, 110, 103, 102, 101, 100, 100
11	John Higgins	146, 136, 134, 131, 127, 119, 117, 104, 101, 100, 100
9	Barry Hawkins	133, 132, 129, 129, 128, 124, 117, 113, 103
7	Kyren Wilson	140, 126, 125, 124, 121, 106, 105
5	Ding Junhui	126, 124, 113, 102, 102
5	Judd Trump	103, 103, 101, 100, 100
4	Lyu Haotian	127, 125, 122, 100
4	Ali Carter	126, 115, 108, 106
4	Ronnie O'Sullivan	121, 118, 110, 105
3	Shaun Murphy	137, 102, 101
3	Joe Perry	120, 109, 103
2	Ryan Day	145, 141
2	Mark Allen	133, 122
2	Jack Lisowski	128, 105
2	Jamie Jones	124, 114
2	Ricky Walden	122, 105
2	Thepchaiya Un-Nooh	121, 112
2	Marco Fu	120, 102
1	Chris Wakelin	141
1	Stuart Bingham	123
1	Stephen Maguire	101

HIGH BREAK John Higgins (146) v Jack Lisowski, R2