Golden oldie Williams, 43, pots the title
Oldest champion since Reardon
The scorching sun has arrived early in Sheffield, but Mark Williams is basking in an Indian summer after becoming the oldest world champion since Ray Reardon in 1978.
The 43-year- old from ebbw Vale withstood a John higgins onslaught to claim his third title 15 years after his last with a dramatic 18-16 victory.
‘ It’s unbelievable,’ said Williams, who celebrated by stripping off for his winner’s press conference. ‘ Twelve months ago I wasn’t even here. I was watching it in a caravan sipping beers. last time I won I had a glass of milk and went to bed but I’m going to party the night away this time.’
So gloomy was the outlook 12 months ago that Williams considered retirement after failing to even qualify at the Crucible.
he was dissuaded by wife, Jo, and remodelled his technique with the help of alignment coach Steve Feeney. It has paid off — and then some.
Williams ended a six- year barren spell with victories in Northern Ireland and Germany either side of Christmas and the £425,000 winner’s cheque he pocketed here takes his earnings this season to £885,400.
‘I got emotional towards the end because it’s a big occasion,’ he said. ‘I was thinking about chucking it in last year. I don’t know where it’s come from. I’ve done something I never thought I’d do again. I never thought I’d get that feeling again.’
a fifth title continues to elude higgins, who fell at the final hurdle for the second straight year. The Scot overturned a 10-7 deficit against Judd Trump to win his last title in 2011 but required even greater powers of recovery seven years on as Williams won the first four yesterday to stretch his lead to seven.
higgins knows such tasks are not insurmountable, having seen a six-frame lead evaporate against Mark Selby in last year’s final. he set about climbing his everest and ended Williams’ seven-frame streak by winning the next three to cut the arrears to 14-10. The momentum was back with him, but as on Sunday night, Williams had the last word to take a five-frame lead into the evening’s finale.
But higgins’ steel has become the stuff of Sheffield legend. he came out firing after dinner with his fourth century of the match and went on to complete a clean sweep before the interval to move within one.
a shell- shocked Williams needed the bell but the barrage continued after the break as higgins won his eighth frame out of nine to restore parity at 15-15 for the first time since 7-7. as the clock ticked past 9pm, this two-day marathon was now a best-of-five sprint.
Williams stopped the rot to prevent higgins taking the lead for the first time and moved one frame from victory with a century. a break of 63 took him one pot from glory but there was another twist as the simple winning pink rattled in the jaws and higgins cleared up.
But Williams held his nerve and sealed the win with a break of 69.
‘If I’d lost I’d have been sick having had the pink to win,’ said Williams.
‘I don’t know where that last break came from but I made a really good one under pressure. I’m over the moon.’