‘The Welsh Potting Machine’ Mark Williams shocks Judd Trump to succeed in the World Snooker Championship last the place he’ll play Ronnie O’Sullivan’s conqueror Zhao Xintong
Final Up to date: 03/05/25 9:21pm
Mark Williams is heading in the right direction to land his fourth World Snooker Championship on the age of fifty
Veteran Mark Williams shocked Judd Trump to succeed in the World Snooker Championship last in opposition to Sheffield-based Zhao Xintong and stay heading in the right direction for a fourth title.
Williams, who received the title in 2000, 2003, and 2018, secured a well-known 17-14 victory in opposition to world No 1 Trump to return to a fifth Crucible last.
The Welshman will tackle Zhao eight years after they confronted one another in spherical one of many qualifying occasion.
Williams, who was 7-3 down earlier within the match, discovered himself 10-9 behind when Trump responded to shedding the opening body on Saturday morning with back-to-back breaks of 71.
Nonetheless, the 50-year-old Welshman then received 4 of the subsequent 5 frames with assistance from breaks of 73, 84 and 62, with solely an outstanding 64 from Trump in body 23 stopping the injury from being even worse to take a 13-11 lead heading into the night session.
Once they returned, Trump tried to mount a fightback however Williams stayed cool to safe the 4 frames wanted after a outstanding run to the ultimate.
Followers refused refunds
Snooker followers have reacted angrily to being refused refunds for what was meant to be the fourth session of the semi-final between Ronnie O’Sullivan and Zhao Xintong.
Xintong’s commanding 17-7 victory was accomplished with a session to spare, that means there will likely be no aggressive motion on Saturday afternoon on the Crucible.
An exhibition that includes Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor, 40 years on from the latter’s victory of their well-known ‘black-ball last’, happened as a substitute, working from 2:30pm till roughly 4pm, together with a brief interval.
The World Snooker Tour mentioned its field workplace phrases and circumstances meant it was “unable to supply ticket refunds or exchanges”, information which has not gone down nicely with spectators anticipating to see seven-time champion O’Sullivan.
The WST mentioned in a press release: “We’re placing collectively a improbable exhibition this afternoon that includes all-time snooker legends.
“We realise that followers come from all around the world to benefit from the Crucible expertise so our intention is to offer the absolute best leisure in these circumstances.
“That is the primary time in over a decade {that a} semi-final has completed a session early so it’s a very uncommon prevalence and sadly past our management.”
