Latest news with #TheWelshPottingMachine
Wales Online
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Crucible crowd erupts as Mark Williams shouts two words at fan mid-frame
Crucible crowd erupts as Mark Williams shouts two words at fan mid-frame The Welsh Potting Machine rarely misses an opportunity to interact with the fans Mark Williams (Image: BBC ) Mark Williams and Zhao Xintong are playing out a thrilling World Championship final at the Crucible. The Chinese star took a 17-8 lead into the final session of the tournament, which is a best-of-35 finale. Zhao needed only one more frame when the evening session began. In truth, it looked like a foregone conclusion at the start of the evening. However, the 28-year-old was probably not anticipating the Welshman mounting something of a surprising comeback on Monday evening as he found form with some serious break-building prowess. Williams took the first three frames of the evening session before putting on a potting masterclass in the fourth to give the Crucible crowd something to really cheer about. There was clearly huge backing for the 50-year-old from the crowd, who roared him on after every Zhao mistake or marvellous long pot. Article continues below In the final frame before the mid-session interval, Williams was well on his way to cutting the deficit to 17-12. Having made sure of the frame, one audience member shouted out some words of encouragement to the man from Cwm. Williams, never one to miss a trick, paused momentarily before turning to the supporter and shouting: "I'm trying!" The Crucible crowd erupted in laughter and a smile even adorned the face of his opponent, Zhao, who had been sitting patiently while Williams put on a potting clinic before the mid-session interval. Article continues below "He's never short of a quip!" BBC commentator John Virgo said, before Williams missed the very next ball after his audience interaction. But the frame was already wrapped up, though, with Virgo adding: "Can you believe it? We were talking about one frame, we have got to a mid-session interval! "Incredible stuff from Mark Williams. What a champion. He still trails, though, 17-12."
Wales Online
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
'Legend of the game' – Judd Trump's comments about Mark Williams say it all
'Legend of the game' – Judd Trump's comments about Mark Williams say it all Crucible king Judd Trump will face Mark 'The Welsh Potting Machine' Williams in the semi-finals of the 2025 World Snooker Championship - and he has revealed precisely what he thinks of his foe Mark Williams has been lauded as a "legend" ahead of his World Snooker Championship semi-final against Judd Trump (Image: George Wood, Getty Images ) Snooker sensation Judd Trump has generously applauded Mark Williams in the build-up to their much-anticipated semi-final clash at the 2025 World Snooker Championship. The pair are set for a monumental encounter, which gets underway on Thursday evening. Trump advanced to the last four following a striking comeback against Luca Brecel, where he came from behind to take the last six frames and win 13-8. Yet he now comes up against a three-time world champion in Williams, who showcased his resilience by narrowly defeating John Higgins in the quarter-finals. 'The Welsh Potting Machine' triumphed over fellow icon Higgins in an agonisingly close battle. And with it came his first semi-final appearance since 2022 - when it was Trump who ended his journey. When asked about their imminent duel after his win against Brecel, 35-year-old Trump was full of reverence for Cwm-born Williams. And the tournament favourite was only too aware of their shared history in Sheffield when speaking to BBC Sport (via the Daily Express). "[The] last time I was in the semi-final, I think I played him," said 'The Ace in the Pack'. "It was an epic then, he obviously had an epic against John Higgins - it's such a slog, this tournament. "Still a long way to go, but Mark is a legend of the game. I think whoever won out of John and Mark, I was gonna be happy to play if I got through. . .turns out it's Mark, and it's going to be a great game." Article continues below Trump boasts a dominant 23-11 win-loss record against Williams (Image: Getty ) It's not the first time Trump has praised his Welsh rival, who has won only 11 of their 34 matchups to date. One such memorable clash occurred in the final of last summer's inaugural Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, where Trump narrowly secured a 10-9 win. Despite showing formidable skill with three century breaks, 50-year-old Williams had to be content with the £200,000 runner-up cheque. Yet Trump was commendably gracious after the match and still showered praise on the Gwent native. "It just shows what a champion he is, what a break he's made in the last frame there," he told TNT Sports, candidly confessing he "didn't deserve to win" the £500,000 grand prize. "Half a million quid, 62 behind, two reds there. Congratulations to him." Regardless of how the semis pan out, Trump is set to bag at least £200,000 from the World Championship. Half of that is for making it to the final four, and an additional £100,000 for a season tally of 100 century breaks, nine of which have been achieved in Sheffield alone. Williams' 13-12 semi-final triumph over John Higgins will go down in the Crucible history books (Image: Getty ) Article continues below Williams returned the compliment with his own glowing appraisal of Trump ahead of their Crucible clash: "All he's missing on his CV probably is another World Championship and if he gets another one of them, he has to be one of the greatest of all time." He went on to clarify he hopes this isn't the year that materialises before highlighting the magnitude of his century of centuries: "Oh yeah, not this year! There's no other player who had a sniff of winning that bonus £100,000. Only him because he's relentless." Despite that comment, Williams will hope to repay the favour from 2022 and cease Trump's rolling form this week. However, he'll have to beat the form player on the planet in order to do so.
Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Judd Trump doesn't hide his feelings on Mark Williams as he drops five-word comment
Judd Trump and Mark Williams meet in the semi-finals of the 2025 World Snooker Championship, and 2019 champion Trump has had his say on what he thinks of his upcoming foe Crucible frontrunner Judd Trump has dubbed Mark Williams"a legend of the game" in the run-up to their semi-final epic at the 2025 World Snooker Championship. The pair are set to ignite Sheffield on Thursday in a best-of-33 frames battle that promises to be one for the books. Snooker sensation Trump sealed his spot in the tournament's penultimate stage after a stunning comeback against Luca Brecel, winning six consecutive frames to win 13-8. However, he now squares off against another snooker titan, three-time world champion Williams, who showcased remarkable resilience to eliminate John Higgins in the quarters. 'The Welsh Potting Machine' narrowly triumphed over Higgins and coolly secured his place in the semis for the first time since 2022. It was Trump who dashed 50-year-old Williams' hopes back then, and 'The Ace in the Pack' is aiming to repeat history this week. Trump, 35, reflected on their previous encounters when discussing the upcoming match following his victory over Brecel. And the Bristol-born star had nothing but compliments for his rival. "[The] last time I was in the semi-final, I think I played him," he told BBC Sport on Wednesday. "It was an epic then, he obviously had an epic against John Higgins - it's such a slog, this tournament. "Still a long way to go, but Mark is a legend of the game. I think whoever won out of John and Mark, I was gonna be happy to play if I got through. . .turns out it's Mark, and it's going to be a great game." Trump has previously praised his Welsh rival, who has only managed to win 11 of their 34 matches overall. One of their latest clashes was in the final of the maiden Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters last summer, where Trump narrowly triumphed by a 10-9 scoreline. Despite not winning, Williams put up an incredible fight and pocketed the £200,000 runner-up prize while impressing with three century breaks. Typically gracious in victory, Trump acknowledged Williams' skill and determination after the result. "It just shows what a champion he is, what a break he's made in the last frame there," he told TNT Sports, humbly adding he "didn't deserve to win" the £500,000 top prize. "Half a million quid, 62 behind, two reds there. Congratulations to him." On the flip side, Williams has been vocal in his admiration of Trump's accomplishments as they gear up for their semi-final showdown. The Ace in the Pack is guaranteed to leave the World Championship with at least £200,000 in his pocket – half for making it to the final four and another £100,000 for racking up 100 century breaks this season, with nine achieved in Sheffield alone. Article continues below Williams has piled the praise upon his semi-final foe in kind and said: "All he's missing on his CV probably is another World Championship and if he gets another one of them, he has to be one of the greatest of all time." The Welsh whiz clarified he hopes this isn't the year he adds that second world title before commenting on his century break bonus: "There's no other player who had a sniff of winning that bonus £100,000. Only him because he's relentless." The wider snooker community would be inclined to agree given Trump's consistency in that area this term. However, the Crucible has in the past proved unforgiving after a string of disappointments in recent years.
Wales Online
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
'What's your problem?' - Mark Williams wasn't impressed with World Snooker star's snub
'What's your problem?' - Mark Williams wasn't impressed with World Snooker star's snub Hossein Vafaei and Mark Williams are set to renew their rivalry at the 2025 World Snooker Championship, 15 months on from a heated clash at the World Grand Prix Hossein Vafaei said he rejected Mark Williams' handshake because he slapped his leg in frustration (Image: WST/YouTube ) Snooker ace Mark Williams and Hossein Vafaei are staging a much-anticipated reunion at the 2025 World Snooker Championship. The two square off in the second round, a little more than one year after their fiery encounter at the 2024 World Grand Prix. Williams, 50, appeared visibly irked when Vafaei bypassed the traditional handshake following their battle at the 2024 World Grand Prix. 'The Welsh Potting Machine' had just defeated 'The Prince of Persia' in the tournament's last 16 when an unexpected drama unfolded. Vafaei conceded the match while 3-1 down, leaving the table promptly after Williams missed the pink. And he only acknowledged referee Olivier Marteel after ignoring his opponent on his way out of the arena. Article continues below The crowd voiced their support for Williams and booed Vafaei's breach of sportsmanship. And the former later lifted the lid on Vafaei's explanation after the pair discussed the drama. "I just pulled him up about it and said, 'What's your problem?'" he said after the match. "And he said it was because I slapped my leg at the end, when I won." After failing to pot the pink and critiquing his own performance with a slap of the leg, Williams found himself at the centre of the controversy. Many considered Vafaei's response to the situation an overreaction, dismissing it as no excuse for ignoring standard courtesies. Williams appeared frustrated at the time but later insisted he "didn't care" about Vafaei's show of disrespect (Image: WST/YouTube ) "I slapped my leg at the end because I shouldn't have gone for the pink," added Williams. "I should have played safe. I thought he would have come back to the table and carried on for snookers. That's why I was a bit fuming. He just stormed off, but if that's the reason. . .I don't care anyway!" It's not uncommon for players to continue their break attempts even when the result is already decided. No player is obliged to play on if they believe a comeback isn't possible, although the traditional handshake is usually observed regardless of the outcome. Vafaei, it appears, didn't adhere to this convention and set the scene for an eagerly awaited rematch in Sheffield. The two haven't faced each other since their clash 15 months ago, where Williams scored a century break on his way to a decisive win. The Gwent native has triumphed in six out of seven matches against The Prince of Persia so far. He most notably beat Vafaei in the semi-finals of the 2023 British Open before securing the title in Cheltenham. 'The Welsh Potting Machine' is a three-time world snooker champion (Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire ) Article continues below Vafaei's sole victory over Williams was significant, however, as he won in a final to become the 2022 Shoot Out champion. However, Williams hopes to prove that he still has his number in Sheffield. Iranian Vafaei has already made waves at this year's World Championship. He once again faced criticism for expressing his excitement with a shout after potting a crucial ball in a tight 10-9 first-round victory over Barry Hawkins. He later defended his actions and said this kind of emotion is exactly what fans "want to see." However, his outburst sparked an online debate that suggests not everyone agrees with that sentiment.
BBC News
09-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Welsh Open: Wilson to defend title as O'Sullivan set for return
The 2025 Welsh Open begins on Monday, 10 February, with seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan set to return to action.O'Sullivan, a four-time Welsh Open winner, did not take part in the German Masters, Masters and Championship League, and makes his return against Wales' Jamie Clarke in Tuesday's first-round match.'The Rocket' is joined in the bottom half of the draw by Kyren Williams, Mark Williams and Shaun Murphy, among others, while defending champion Gary Wilson starts his title defence against India's Ishpreet Singh world champion Williams is one of 10 Welsh players in the 64-player competition, with each hoping to become the first Welshman to win the competition since 1999.'The Welsh Potting Machine' won his second Welsh Open title that year, beating Stephen Hendry 9-8 in the final, though the Scotsman got revenge four years Florian Nuessle, Joshua Cooper and Dylan Emery feature in the first round at Venue Cymru, Llandudno, having won their respective qualifying round round games take place on 10-11 February, with the final on Sunday, 16 February. Schedule First Round:Si Jaihui (12) v Jamie JonesMark Selby (5) v Haydon PinheyNeil Robertson (17) v Mark DavisMark Williams (6) v Florian NuesslePang Junxu (24) v Dominic DaleZhou Yuelong (29) v Yuan SijunStuart Bingham (21) v Robbie WilliamsJackson Page (32) v Jimmy RobertsonGary Wilson (1) v Ishpreet Singh ChadhaStephen Maguire (27) v Xu SiRobert Milkins (20) v Wang YuchenElliot Slessor (28) v Liam DavisJohn Higgins (13) v Graeme DottMark Allen (4) v Stan MoodyZhang Anda (9) v Ross MuirTom Ford (16) v Andrew HigginsonShaun Murphy (7) v Ma HailongBarry Hawkins (11) v Sanderson LamRyan Day (26) v Ben MertensWu Yize (22) v Scott DonaldsonLyu Haotian (31) v Joe O'ConnorRonnie O'Sullivan (3) v Jamie ClarkeKyren Wilson (2) v Marco FuMatthew Selt (30) v Ricky WaldenDavid Gilbert (18) v Jordan BrownJak Jones (15) v Matthew StevensChris Wakelin (14) v Michael HoltHossein Vafaei (23) v Fan ZhengyiNoppon Saengkham (25) v Dylan EmeryLuca Brecel (8) v Stuart CarringtonJack Lisowski (19) v Joshua CooperAli Carter (10) v Rory Thor
