Barry’s in box seat to win semi-final battle

BARRY HAWKINS has seen Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre transform from a chamber of horrors into his theatre of dreams.

The Hawk has opened up a 9-7 lead over two-time winner Mark Williams in their best-of-33 frames Betfred World Championship semi-final.

World No.6 Hawkins, 39, lost in the first round on his first five visits to Sheffield.

But he has now been a losing finalist and played in the semi-finals in five of the last six years.

The man from Kent said: “I remember the first time I came here in 2006 really well. I won the first frame against Ken Doherty and thought, ‘What’s all the fuss about?’ Then he beat me 10-1.

“I crumbled and Ken sent me packing and I realised how difficult it could be to play at the Crucible.

“Then the next few years it just kept happening. I lost 10-9 to Fergal O’Brien, 10-9 again to Ali Carter, and then Graeme Dott 10-8 and John Higgins

10-6 – it was horrible.

“Of course I was thinking, ‘I might never win a match here’.

“I just wanted so badly to be a proper part of the tournament.

“So when I finally won my first match at the Crucible, 10-9 against Stephen Maguire, I was delighted. I felt like I had won the tournament.

“All of a sudden in 2013, the final came out of nowhere. Ronnie O’Sullivan said that I had played as well against him as anyone in his five world finals. I knew I played well, it gave me confidence.

“The contrast from those years to now is ridiculous. However while this record of winning 18 matches, the most, in the last six years is good – there is something very big missing.

“I don’t want to be known as the guy who won 18 matches and got to semis but never lifted the trophy.

“That is my goal and I will give everything to do it.”

His 43-year-old opponent Williams is part of the famous ‘Class of 1992’. The Welshman insists he would have doubled his tally of 20 ranking titles had it not been for contemporaries O’Sullivan and John Higgins.

Double world champion Williams (left) said: “I came through and have played throughout my career alongside two of the greatest players ever. And don’t forget Stephen Hendry was also at his best in the 1990s.

“So to nick as many titles as I have with those two around – and I accept they are in a different league to me – I do give myself a lot of credit.” Williams is in his 26th season as a professional having enjoyed a renaissance this term.

And he is bidding to become the oldest Crucible champion since compatriot Ray Reardon won aged 45 in 1978, and 15 years after his last win.