Mark Williams Archives

‘The sky is the limit’ – White and McManus lavish praise on Si

April 23, 2024

Jimmy White and Alan McManus were hugely impressed with how Si Jiahui held his nerve to see off Mark Williams in a deciding frame of their first-round encounter at the World Championship.

Si won four frames on the spin to assume control of the clash, but saw Williams rally to force a deciding frame.

Si is comfortable at the Crucible – he reached the semi-finals 12 months ago – and White feels that now he has added a safety game to his armoury he can be extremely dangerous.

“He loves the pressure,” White said in the Eurosport studio. “It was a fantastic break in the last frame.

“The first four frames he won all of them, he did that as well in the qualifiers. He was 4-0 down and won 10 on the spin. He goes on these bursts.

“He has such fantastic technique. As he is going along, he has a safety game. He did not have a safety game last year.”

‘Who knows?’ – Williams coy on World Championship future after loss to Si

White feels Si needs to have greater control of the cue ball when in close.

“He is such a great potter,” White said. “He pots these mid-range balls all the time.

“When he’s in the balls, the easy stuff he makes it difficult, and the difficult stuff easy. But what a player.

“That last frame, the way he held himself together, he has plenty of mettle.”

McManus was also impressed, as he said: “The quality was excellent.

“Myself and Jimmy have suggested already this week that the sky is the limit for this guy.

“Jimmy is correct, it is not if, it is when he refines his game and he is going to be a handful.”

Williams punches his cue after missed red

Williams had positive words for Si following his loss.

“I take my hat off to him,” Williams told Eurosport. “It is one of the best 70-odds you are going to see.

“He has potential to be a world champion, no question. If he can knock in breaks like that one in the last frame a bit more consistently then he can beat anybody.”

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Si Jiahui beats Williams in final-frame decider to reach second round

April 23, 2024

The shocks continued at the World Championship, as three-time winner Mark Williams crashed out at the hands of Si Jiahui.

Si was a semi-finalist 12 months ago and had to qualify, while Williams arrived at the Crucible on the back of victory at the Tour Championship.

Williams held a 5-4 lead after the first session, but Si ran through the first four frames on Tuesday afternoon and held firm to win a decider to reach round two.

Defeat saw Williams join seeds Luca Brecel, Mark Selby, Gary Wilson, Ali Carter and Zhang Anda in falling at the first hurdle.

Both players had chances in the opening frame of the session.

Williams had the opportunity to snatch it after a missed black from his opponent, but he failed to pot a tough final red to the green pocket.

Si knocked in a couple of pressure balls, notably a superb brown from mid range into the green pocket, and it allowed him to take the frame and level the scores at 5-5.

The 11th followed a similar pattern to the previous frame, as Si worked a large lead but handed a chance to Williams when going in-off after potting a red.

‘Unbelievable’ – Si pots red but sees white go in-off

As in the 10th, Williams looked set to snatch it only to miss the final red – this time looking on in shock as it seemed to turn to the left and fail to drop into the right middle. Si stepped from his chair to pick off the points required to move back in front.

The Crucible holds no terrors for Si, as he showed with his run to the semi-finals last year, and he opened up a two-frame advantage for the first time in the match thanks to a run of 61 in the 12th.

Williams looked rattled by the onslaught of his opponent, and punched his cue in frustration when seeing a counter stopped in its tracks by a missed red into the left middle.

Williams punches his cue after missed red

The Welshman took to sitting on the steps near the exit as he waited for Si to pot the balls to wrap up the final frame before the interval to take an 8-5 lead.

The interval came at a good time for Williams, as it handed him 15 minutes to regroup. He returned and knocked in an excellent long red to suggest the potting arm was still solid. Williams did not close out the frame in one visit, but he found a superb long red to the green pocket and it enabled him to get on the scoreboard in the session.

‘What a shot’ – Williams pots superb long red

The 15th was a scrappy affair, with reds clustered together and colours tied up – and the drawn-out frame resulted in Si asking referee Leo Scullion for a mid-frame comfort break.

“If you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go’ – Si asks for mid-frame comfort break

Si was behind at the point he left the table and he was unable to force his way back into it as Williams cut the deficit to one frame.

The 16th saw Si make a series of excellent pots as he took the frame to leave him two up with three to play.

Si showed no signs of nerves as he got going in the 17th frame with an excellent red to the bottom left. But he missed a pink to the left middle when on a break of 39 to hand Williams a chance to counter.

As in earlier frames, Williams missed the final red – but he got another bite at the cherry and crunched in a brilliant red to the green pocket. He picked off the colours to keep his hopes alive.

A safety error from Si – catching the knuckle of the right middle when attempting to reach baulk – allowed Williams to take the 18th and force a deciding frame.

Williams missed a tough red to the right middle and a double kiss handed Si the first chance in the decider.

Si beat Shaun Murphy in a decider last year, and he had that knowledge to draw on as he compiled a brilliant break of 77 – his highest of the match – to knock out the 2000, 2003 and 2018 champion.

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Williams punches cue, offers it to fan after missed pot

April 23, 2024

A potting onslaught from Si Jiahui resulted in Mark Williams punching his cue and then offering it to a member of the audience at the World Championship.

Williams began the final session of his first round match with a 5-4 lead, but saw Si race out of the blocks and take the opening three frames.

In two of those, Williams had a chance to counter but faltered on the final red.

He was handed a chance to steal the 13th frame following a miss from his opponent, but he saw a red hit the jaws of the left middle and stay above ground.

The miss drew an angry response from Williams, as he punched his cue in frustration.

As he walked back to his chair, the three-time world champion offered his cue to a spectator – seemingly suggesting the fan could do a better job.

Later in the frame, Williams left a red over the yellow pocket to hand Si the chance to make the frame safe.

And with it being the final frame before the interval, Williams elected to sit on the steps near the exit – ready to make a swift getaway – rather than return to his seat.

The Welshman headed to the interval with much to ponder – and possibly nursing a sore hand.

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‘Might get lasagne, but that’s about it’ – Why O’Sullivan has no appetite for Crucible

April 15, 2024

Ronnie O’Sullivan has won the World Championship seven times, but the snooker GOAT has often seemed to have a love-hate relationship with the Crucible, historic host venue of the sport’s biggest tournament since 1977.

“Still have a tournament there. Why not? But just not the World Championship over 17 days. It’s a massive circus and you need a massive space to accommodate it. I think Saudi Arabia would be great. They’ve got the resources and would do it great.

“If you’re going to take it to China, you’d have to take it to Shanghai. Or another major city like Shenzhen or Guangzhou. It’d be done properly. Courtesy cars will be laid on. Food will be there. Hotels will be great. Everything would be paid for. Prize money would be astronomical.

“I know at the Crucible you get nice tea there, you might get lasagne if the guys are cooking. But that’s about it.”

Watch – O’Sullivan referred to disciplinary committee after ‘lewd gesture’ at Crucible

O’Sullivan first played at the Crucible in 1993 – losing 10-7 to fellow Eurosport pundit Alan McManus – and has aired mixed views on the suitability of the compact 980-seat arena for such a huge event.

The world No. 1 even described it as an “amazing venue” after equalling Stephen Hendry’s modern-day record of seven wins in two years ago, but has rarely hidden his general dislike of the cramped set-up inside the snooker hothouse.

Here are a few more of O’Sullivan’s familiar soundbites about the Crucible over the years ahead of his record-extending 32nd-straight appearance in Sheffield.

O’Sullivan on Crucible – February 2024

“I don’t actually like the Crucible to be honest. I’d much rather it go anywhere than the Crucible. I know it’s a great venue, but I don’t like playing there for 17 days. For me if it goes anywhere but the Crucible it would be brilliant.”

O’Sullivan on Crucible – May 2022

“I really like the Crucible, I think it’s an amazing venue. It’s sort of iconic, there’s a brilliant atmosphere. It is our best venue and I’d only move it if they could get 5,000 people which would mean double the prize money.

“Or unless China come in with an offer that you just couldn’t refuse. Otherwise, why would you move it from Sheffield? Sheffield has been great to snooker, it’s sort of like the home of snooker really.

“Until someone comes up with an offer, you can’t refuse then I’d just keep it where it is.”

Relive O’Sullivan and Carter’s shoulder barge spat at 2018 World Snooker Championship

O’Sullivan on Crucible – January 2018

“Crucible goes on too long and it’s my least favourite event of all. Plus I’ve got plenty ranking points so no need to play as much.”

O’Sullivan on Crucible – April 2016

“When I think back to my great matches and you see the crowd’s faces and the pleasure that you give them when you play an unbelievable performance, that sticks in your mind, that’s what I’m here to do. I think there will inevitably be a move away from the Crucible at some point.

“With the 128 draw being used at many events there will come a point where they want all of those at one venue like Wimbledon, and that won’t be this one.

“Maybe they could do that and still keep another tournament at the Crucible, I don’t know how they would work it.”

‘Don’t start’ – O’Sullivan in big row with referee

O’Sullivan on Crucible – March 2015

“I know it sounds crazy, but I wasn’t even sure if I was going to enter the worlds. I probably will, but it’s got to the point where I want to give snooker only 20% of my time.

“It’s not something I’m that bothered about. It’s probably one of my least favourite tournaments. 17 days is too long.”

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‘I don’t want to talk about it’ – How O’Sullivan’s shock defeat to Brecel haunted snooker GOAT

April 12, 2024

O’Sullivan led 10-6 after the first two sessions a year ago, but was bundled out of the tournament after an astonishing collapse as he shipped the final seven frames in only 79 minutes before a stunned audience without making a break over 30.

Virgo, who has retired to live in Spain, admits the shock nature of his exit appeared to haunt O’Sullivan during the close season, but believes it should act as a warning ahead of the sport’s biggest event which begins on April 20 and runs until May 6 in Sheffield.

‘I didn’t think it was possible’ – White and McManus analyse O’Sullivan’s surprise defeat to Brecel

“Funnily enough, he [O’Sullivan] came over to see me in the summer and I asked him what happened against Luca Brecel in that match,” said Virgo in the Metro newspaper.

“He said, ‘I don’t want to talk about it!’ So it still wrangles with him. For the greatest player we’ve ever seen to play seven frames and not make a 30 break, nobody could have foreseen that.

“He is human like the rest of us, but it was hard to believe. I can only assume it was the pressure of the tournament. Maybe he was looking too far ahead, who knows.

“But he can’t afford bad sessions like that because the competition is there. If you have a bad session you’re going to get walloped, so to speak, which is what he did.”

A frustrated O’Sullivan suffered a similar experience in losing the final seven frames against Mark Williams from 5-3 ahead in a surprise 10-5 reverse at the Tour Championship final in Manchester last Sunday.

Virgo feels the Rocket is favourite to add to his world victories in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022, but also warns he cannot afford to go missing for sessions when the heat comes on.

No Filter: Behind the scenes as O’Sullivan wins record eighth Masters crown

“It’s hard to look past Ronnie, as he’s proved in the UK and the Masters, on the big occasion he does really produce,” said Virgo. “He’ll be a little bit disappointed after his Tour Championship defeat. Very reminiscent of when he lost to Brecel in last year’s World Championship.

“He lost seven frames on the trot and never made any sizeable breaks, which is amazing. He did the same against Mark Williams in the final of the Tour Championship, with no sign of that coming at all.

“So for those people who think Ronnie’s only got to turn up and if he puts his mind to it he wins, that’s so far from the truth. He’s got to be at his best. Ronnie will know that, but it’ll be a shock to the system, losing as he did.”

O’Sullivan is chasing the modern-day record of eight world titles since the Crucible first housed the mammoth 17-day televised event in 1977.

“Ronnie’s entitled to be favourite, no one questions his ability, but as I say he’s got to put that last defeat out of his mind,” commented former world No. 10 Virgo, who completed wins over Tony Meo, Steve Davis, Dennis Taylor and Terry Griffiths to win the UK Championship in 1979.

“And of course, he’s got the added pressure of looking for the modern day record of eight world titles.

“So that puts him under a little bit more strain than he would normally be under. But he’s coped with things like that before, so I expect him to put up a good show.”

Stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on-demand on discovery+.

‘I don’t want to talk about it’ – How O’Sullivan’s shock defeat to Brecel haunted snooker GOAT

April 12, 2024

‘I didn’t think it was possible’ – White and McManus analyse O’Sullivan’s surprise defeat to Brecel

“Funnily enough, he [O’Sullivan] came over to see me in the summer and I asked him what happened against Luca Brecel in that match,” said Virgo in the Metro newspaper.

“He is human like the rest of us, but it was hard to believe. I can only assume it was the pressure of the tournament. Maybe he was looking too far ahead, who knows.

“But he can’t afford bad sessions like that because the competition is there. If you have a bad session you’re going to get walloped, so to speak, which is what he did.”

Virgo feels the Rocket is favourite to add to his world victories in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022, but also warns he cannot afford to go missing for sessions when the heat comes on.

No Filter: Behind the scenes as O’Sullivan wins record eighth Masters crown

O’Sullivan is chasing the modern-day record of eight world titles since the Crucible first housed the mammoth 17-day televised event in 1977.

“And of course, he’s got the added pressure of looking for the modern day record of eight world titles.

“So that puts him under a little bit more strain than he would normally be under. But he’s coped with things like that before, so I expect him to put up a good show.”

Stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on-demand on discovery+.

‘I got slaughtered for it’ – Robertson on why he was forced to hold O’Sullivan peace talks

April 11, 2024

Neil Robertson has revealed he spoke to Ronnie O’Sullivan after suggesting the snooker GOAT had been playing “pretty awful” in some tournaments this season.

O’Sullivan is enjoying one of the most productive campaigns of his 32-year career after winning the Shanghai Masters, UK Championship, Masters, World Grand Prix and Riyadh World Masters ahead of this month’s 48th World Championship in Sheffield (April 20 – May 6).

But Robertson admits he encountered some serious heat for suggesting O’Sullivan had not been playing well in the early part of some events.

“We’ve probably seen that with Ronnie recently, let’s have it right he’s played pretty awful, but he’s been able to keep winning because people keep missing blacks off the spot, pinks off the spot.

“He’s gained that reputation of being unbeatable this season even though he’s played awful.”

Watch as O’Sullivan clinches glory in final of Riyadh Season World Masters

Robertson insists his opinion was taken out of context as he set the record straight during a discussion with O’Sullivan’s fellow seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry.

“I got slaughtered earlier in the season for saying Ronnie was playing awful in the tournaments early on,” said Robertson, who has dropped to 25th in the latest provisional rankings after starting the season as world No. 6. “It was a compliment, but a couple of papers ran with it saying I thought he was terrible which was nonsense.

“Actually to the point when I spoke to Ronnie, and I said you know what I’m saying, and he just laughed it off.

“He knew what I was saying. When you get to the semis and final, that’s when you really take the tournament on.”

Robertson will have to negotiate two qualifiers to reach the World Championship this year after dropping out of the world’s top 16 amid a form slump, but admits he was impressed by Mark Williams’ 10-5 win over O’Sullivan in the Tour Championship final on Sunday from 5-3 behind.

“Mark is the sort of character who will finish the job. He’s got the mentality to do that. There’s only a few in the game who can.”

‘Class of ’92’ icons O’Sullivan and Williams have claimed seven trophies between them this season with the Welshman also lifting the British Open.

John Higgins also remains inside the top 16 despite struggling for major silverware over the past two years.

Four-time world champion Robertson feels the secret to their ongoing success is the ability to adapt to conditions and handle the pressure.

“Ronnie refers to it a lot. There’s a lot of truth in it. When we all started playing, we all played in the clubs and the pro-ams,” said the Australian.

“We had to find ways to win when conditions weren’t playing great. You had to find ways to win. Those three have got an amazing ability to win matches when they are not playing particularly well.

“Those three have always been great at winning matches, winning deciders, clearing up from behind, sensing weakness in the opponent. They’ve always maintained that.

“Ronnie has stayed at the highest level consistently with John and Mark dipping in and out a bit, but they’ve always had that killer instinct to sense weakness in the opponent.

“I’ve heard John talk a bit negative recently. I thought he was unlucky two years ago when he lost five finals and reached the semi-finals of the World Championship.

“We just have to see how it runs its course, and next season could be different for him. Those three have been amazing to have played as long as they have. It’s remarkable really.”

The moment Neil Robertson won the Masters

Robertson admits he is not overly fussed to be forced to return to the qualifiers only two years after lifting the English Open, Masters, Players Championship and Tour Championship.

“Two years ago, I had that unbelievable season,” he said. “I won four massive titles, but then I mostly took five months off and over-enjoyed how great a season I had when everyone else is working hard.

“I completely butchered a few semi-finals. When you get content and satisfied, that’s what happened to me. Two years ago when I was winning tournaments, people make so many mistakes against you. They are so worried, and leave you in.

“This season, it hasn’t happened. I have to practice even harder. But my game is back in great shape,” said the Melbourne man after losing 6-5 to Ding Junhui in the sem-finals of the World Open last month.

“The good thing is it is the best of 19 frames, and they’ve done up the numbers one and two tables at the qualifiers like a venue. From a positive outlook, I’m treating it like two best-of-19 frame matches before the Crucible.

“I felt being a seed over the past four or five years is really dodgy. There’s a lot of guys you don’t want to be playing first round.”

Stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on-demand on discovery+.

White faces uphill battle to keep Crucible dream alive at World Championship qualifying

April 10, 2024

Jimmy White first qualified for the Crucible in 1981, but the prospects of the six-time world finalist returning to the sport’s biggest stage 43 years later look bleak.

White was given a bye to the second round of qualifying after fellow Londoner Martin Gould withdrew from the competition, but the former UK champion endured a tough time in falling 7-2 behind to 19-year-old Chinese player Liu Hongyu at the English Institute of Sport.

A fine 81 break saw White level up at 1-1, but he shipped the next four frames with world No. 80 Liu producing runs of 74, 60 and 135 in moving 5-1 ahead.

The Tooting player won the seventh frame, but Liu claimed the next two to leave himself three frames short of victory when the match resumes on Thursday afternoon.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old former world junior champion Stan Moody suffered a 10-6 defeat after losing the last five frames to Mohammed Shehab in a 10-6 loss.

Elsewhere, world No. 64 Mark Davis boosted his hopes of securing his tour card for next season as he built up an 8-1 overnight lead against Andrew Pagett while former European Masters winner Jimmy Robertson leads Liam Davies 7-2.

Latest World Championship results

Mohammed Shehab 10-6 Stan Moody
Gao Yang 10-6 Ishpreet Singh Chadha
Peng Yisong 10-5 M Phetmalaikul
Ashley Carty 10-4 Liam Graham
Liam Pullen 10-3 Anton Kazakov
Alfie Burden 10-1 Rebecca Kenna

Stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on-demand on discovery+.

O’Brien brings curtain down on 33-year career after defeat in Crucible qualifier

April 9, 2024

Former British Open champion Fergal O’Brien will hang up his cue after losing 10-8 to Egypt’s world No. 125 Mostafa Dorgham in his opening World Championship qualifier.

World No. 106 O’Brien led 3-0, but was pegged back to 4-4 with his opponent claiming three of the final four frames from 7-7 to advance to the second qualifying round at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

The Irishman reached No. 9 in 2000/01, two years after winning the British Open in 1999 with a 9-7 win over Anthony Hamilton, while he also lost a memorable Masters final 10-9 to Paul Hunter in 2001.

He also reached the last eight of the World Championship in 2000, losing 13-5 to Mark Williams in the quarter-finals.

Elsewhere, former Crucible semi-finalist Marco Fu completed a 10-1 win over former women’s world champion Baipat Siripaporn boosted by seven plus-50 breaks, while record 12-time women’s world champion Reanne Evans endured a forgettable day in losing 10-0 to Oliver Brown.

Latest World Championship results

Jiang Jun 10-6 Amir Sarkhosh
Bulcsu Revesz 10-8 Sean O’Sullivan
Haydon Pinhey 10-2 Hammad Miah
Long Zehuang 10-1 Sydney Wilson
Marco Fu 10-1 Baipat Siripaporn
Ma Hailong 10-1 Victor Sarkis
Oliver Brown 10-0 Reanne Evans
Andrew Higginson 10-7 Duane Jones
Stuart Carrington 10-5 Himanshu Jain
Allan Taylor 10-6 Vladislav Gradinari
Adam Duffy 10-5 Mink Nutcharut
Louis Heathcote 10-4 Oliver Sykes
Andres Petrov 10-1 Ahmed Aly Elsayed
Alexander Ursenbacher 10-0 Iulian Boiko

Stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on-demand on discovery+.

Former Shoot Out winner Holt sees Crucible hopes ended at first hurdle

April 9, 2024

Michael Holt will not be returning to the Crucible this year after losing 10-6 to world No. 88 Xing Zihao in the opening round of World Championship qualifying in Sheffield.

The former Shoot Out winner reached the last 16 in 2016 after stunning 2010 winner Neil Robertson 10-6 in the first round, but won’t be back on the sport’s biggest stage this year after world No. 90 Xing proved too strong at the English Institute of Sport on Monday.

19-year-old Xing produced breaks of 61, 58, 86, 63, 82 and 98 as he led from start to finish with former world No. 20 Holt running in four 50-plus breaks.

Holt had secured a return to the professional circuit in January, earning a fresh two-year card for next season via the Q Tour, after dropping off the main circuit in 2022, but his hopes of another crack at the world title must wait until next season.

Women’s world champion Bai Yulu is also out in the opening round despite fighting back from 6-2 to 9-7 behind in a 10-7 loss to world No. 104 Jensen Kendrick, who is battling to secure his tour card for next season.

Kendrick hit two centuries before completing victory by winning the 17th frame on a re-spotted black.

Meanwhile, former Crucible semi-finalist Marco Fu begins his campaign on Tuesday against former women’s world champion Baipat Siripaporn with former British Open winner and Eurosport pundit Fergal O’Brien contesting his final professional event before he retires against Mostafa Dorgham.

Qualifying is staged between April 8-17 with 16 qualifiers joining the top 16 seeds in the final 32 for the Crucible in Sheffield.

The 48th World Championship begins on Saturday 20 April and runs until Monday 6 May.

Latest World Championship results

Andrew Pagett 10-9 Andy Lee
Ross Muir 10-9 Cheung Ka Wai
Jenson Kendrick 10-7 Bai Yulu
Xing Zihao 10-6 Michael Holt
Liam Davies 10-3 Ryan Thomerson
Rory Thor 10-2 Hamza Ilyas
Ian Burns 10-1 Dean Young

Stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on-demand on discovery+.