Mark Williams wins 2018 World Snooker Championship
Mark Williams has won the 2018 World Snooker Championship, his third world title, after an epic final battle against John Higgins that ended 18-16.
It was the class of ’92 dominating the tournament, with both men producing excellent snooker to reach the final and then to contend for the title. For Williams, it was a triumph that came 15 years after his previous world title; for Higgins, it was a second final defeat in succession and a missed to add to his four world titles.
They were closely-fought battles to secure those two places in the final – Higgins defeated Kyren Wilson 17-13, while Williams trumped Barry Hawkins 17-15.
And then, the old rivals and long-time pros faced each other for the sport’s biggest title.
In the first session, Williams was firing on all cylinders, and he won the first four frames. Higgins fought back, and they went int the evening session 5-3 to Williams. In the evening session, Williams won the opening frame with a break of 72, and then Higgins took the next two with runs of 51 and 127 – Williams won the last to lead 7-5 at the interval. There were five frames left to play, and Higgins began by levelling after breaks of 56 and 117. Williams responded with a 118, and then he punished Higgins after he missed a black off the spot with a 64 clearance. An accidental plant on the brown let Williams in in the final frame, and he led 10-7 going into the final day.
Williams laid down the marker in the second day, once again winning the first four frames and extending his lead to 14-7. Higgins started to fight back, punishing a miss on a Williams break of 65 with a counter-clearance of 72. Higgins started on a maximum in frame 24 – he potted ten reds with blacks, but failed to complete the clearance. Nonetheless, the deficit was now 14-10, and that became 15-10 to Williams after the final frame of the session.
It was now or never to prevent Williams rolling to the finish line, and Higgins certainly responded. He won the next five frames on the trot, producing three clearances and a match-highest break of 131 to level at 15-15. Williams won the next frame, and followed it up with a century – he was one away from the title. After Williams missed the match ball in the 33rd frame, Higgins cleared the table to pull the score to 17-16. Williams only needed one chance – he got it, making a break of 69 and securing the title.
To be honest, I thought these days had all passed
– Mark Williams
Williams lived up to his pre-tournament promise that, if he won the title, he would attend the post-match interview naked. He appeared in a flag, and discarded it once he took his seat.
He then said: “It’s an unbelievable story really. Two months ago I was thinking about chucking it in and here I am now, bollock naked, doing an interview having just won the 2018 world championship, beating John Higgins 18-16. Where’s it come from?
“I went out there to enjoy it. Win or lose, I can honestly say I didn’t really mind. I was just enjoying the occasion and it felt amazing. I got a bit emotional in the end but deservedly so, as it’s a big occasion for me. To be honest, I thought these days had all passed.”
He promised that, if he repeats the feat next year, he’ll perform a bunch of naked cartwheels for the press.
Higgins said: “Pain is pain. I came in tonight and Mark was ahead by a couple of frames. I cleaned up on him a couple of times and at 15-14 I did it again. For the next two frames after that I played a couple of really bad shots at the height of the pressure. But then Mark missed the pink at 17-15 and I’ve knocked the red into the middle and cleaned up.
“The break he made in the last frame, especially the first red, it’s one of the best breaks I’ve ever seen under pressure.”
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