Williams proves he’s not past his Selby date
Tbegan against Selby with a break of 135. He moved 2-0 up with an 89 before Selby began to dominate, and at 5-3 ahead the world No.1 from Leicester looked on course to be sailing through his opening test.
There was more to come from Williams though, and the veteran Welshman hauled himself level.
Selby then inched six points ahead in the decider but missed a difficult last red to give Williams a final chance, and he cleared to the pink to set up a last-eight clash with Barry Hawkins or Kyren Wilson.
Williams said on Eurosport: “I thought it was a good match. Both of us played quite well. I never gave in. I’m over the moon.
“I’m playing a hell of a lot better than I have done for many years. If I can keep playing like that then someone’s going to have to play well [to beat me].”
Reigning world champion Selby was also eliminated early in the UK Championship last month, losing to Scott Donaldson in the second round.
Williams was joined in the last eight by a fellow lefthander after Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen won 6-3 against Belgian Luca Brecel.
Allen also had a 135 break and finished off with a run of 120.
Yet perhaps the most memorable part of his evening came before a ball had been struck when Dennis Taylor, the 1985 world champion and tournament MC for the night, announced Allen’s list of career achievements when introducing him to the crowd before blundering with his name and calling him Mark Williams.
Allen will face defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan or Marco Fu in the quarter-finals.