Three-time world champion Mark Williams narrowly defeated John Higgins 13-12 in a classic quarter-final at the Crucible, clinching victory on the final black to book his place in the World Championship semi-finals.
Resuming level at 8-8 on Wednesday, Williams pounced on several early errors from Higgins to win all four morning frames, notching three half-century breaks to take a commanding 12-8 lead.
Despite having earlier trailed 5-1, the 50-year-old Welshman claimed the 20th frame, but was then largely a spectator as four-time world champion Higgins launched a spirited comeback, reeling off three consecutive frames with impressive breaks of 94, 114, and 67 to tie the match at 12-12.
In a dramatic deciding frame, both players had chances, but Higgins missed a critical blue. Williams seized the opportunity, potting the blue in what he described as one of his best shots in years, becoming the oldest semi-finalist since Ray Reardon in 1985.
“It was an unbelievable match and an incredible finish,” Williams told BBC Sport. “That blue was massive could’ve easily gone in-off or missed it completely. But I hit it with everything I had.”
With the win, Williams will face either Luca Brecel or top seed Judd Trump in the semi-finals. The victory also marked Higgins’ first-ever loss in a Crucible deciding frame since 1996, despite his strong record against Williams.
The 2018 final between the two legends, where Williams prevailed 18-16, set a high benchmark, and while this encounter seemed unlikely to match that early on, it evolved into a gripping contest.
Williams credited his pre-match ritual of singing Tom Jones’ “Delilah” for motivation, while Higgins admitted he was below par early on, only finding form after the interval. “I had nothing to lose and played my best four-frame stretch of the event,” said Higgins. “It’s heartbreaking, but the atmosphere was unbelievable that’s why we keep playing.”
O’Sullivan leads as Zhao cruises into semis
In the other quarter-final on Wednesday morning, Ronnie O’Sullivan extended his lead over Si Jiahui to 10-6 heading into the evening session.
Having led 6-2 overnight, O’Sullivan shared the morning frames with world number 13 Si, who showed flashes of brilliance, including a century in frame 10 and further runs of 61 and 52. However, O’Sullivan, chasing an eighth modern-era world title, displayed his trademark composure to win the 16th frame with a 64 break.
The seven-time champion is now closing in on a record 14th Crucible semi-final, where he could meet Zhao Xintong.
Zhao booked his semi-final spot with a dominant 13-5 victory over Chris Wakelin, having led 12-4 after a six-frame run on Tuesday. The 28-year-old, who once served a 20-month suspension for involvement in match-fixing, is making a remarkable comeback.
Although he didn’t fix matches himself, Zhao admitted to being complicit in two incidents and betting on matches. He lost his spot on the World Snooker Tour but has since earned his return and is set to rejoin the tour full-time next season.
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