“I can’t really believe it. What a feeling.”
Mark Williams
Introduction
Mark Williams is probably the most laid-back player on the snooker tour. If he wins, that is great, but if he loses, he lets it go and moves on to the next tournament. A player who puts in the hours on the practice table at an event but chooses to spend his leisure time playing golf or bingo. Yet, at 50, Mark doesn’t seem to have lost any of that brilliance that graduated him from the Class of 92 all those years ago. Working with his friend Lee Walker, his coach has sharpened up his game and ironed out the errors he was making. Despite using a new cue, anyone who plays snooker will tell you it takes a long time to adjust to a new one. A fact that Stephen Hendry constantly reminds him of. Williams has the all-round game and even manages to hit and pot balls one-handed or under-armed. I should know because I witnessed it in an exhibition near Newcastle, and he hardly missed a ball all night and hoovered up the table after having several pints and a curry in a local curry house.
The Champion of Champions
Mark is the dark horse players must watch out for in a tournament. Williams has already won the Tour Championship this season, beating Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-5 in the final. He also came close to winning the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, narrowly losing to Judd Trump 9-10. So, coming into the Champion of Champions in Bolton, Mark was a player to watch out for. Ultimately, he powered to the final and was matched up against the imposing and improved Chinese player, Xiao Guodong. Mark dominated the first session, but Xiao managed to pull the match back from 5-0 down to 5-4. Yet, in the evening session, he was outclassed by the Welshman and only managed to claim another two frames to bow out 6-10.
As the ticker tape rained down on the stage floor, Mark celebrated with his wife, Joanne, and his three sons, Connor, Kian and Joel; this was a win to celebrate as it was the first time Williams had claimed the title. That’s not dismissing Xiao’s efforts for the week. To beat Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, and Mark Allen is highly impressive, and he should be very proud of his achievements. He is a star of the near future, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t win a title soon. His loss is a learning curve, and I am sure he will go over his mistakes to tighten up his game for his next appearance at the UK Championship in York.
Williams should be incredibly proud of this win, especially as he hasn’t lost any of the brilliance of his earlier career. He is slightly peeved that he can’t squeeze in a game of golf as he has to rush off to York. The Champion of Champions may not be a ranking event, but it is as prestigious as The Masters. With prize money and silverware under his belt this season, £150 00 for the Champion of Champions alone, Mark will be a definite danger in the remaining tournaments, especially the Triple Crown events. Williams is in top form and will go deep into any event, even if he doesn’t win. A class act who oozes brilliance and someone who has given up the thought of jacking it in. Now, he says he will continue as long as he can. Maybe not appearing with a Zimmer frame in old age, though.
