WILLIAMS JUST MISSES 147
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Former champion Mark Williams threatened to make arch-rival Ronnie
O'Sullivan's day even worse at the Embassy World Championship on Wednesday night.
Williams and O'Sullivan were locked in an acrimonious verbal feud at last
month's Irish Masters following comments made in O'Sullivan's autobiography.
And after the 'Rocket' was shot down 10-6 by Marco Fu, it looked as if he may
suffer double disappointment when Williams potted 10 reds and 10 blacks in the
second frame of his first round match against qualifier Stuart Pettman.
But Williams, the winner three years ago, missed an awkward 11th red as his
147 bid stalled on 80. Had he completed the maximum, he would have shared
O'Sullivan's £169,000 prize for his 147 against Fu on Tuesday.
Williams went on to make further breaks of 52, 56 and 70 as he coasted into a
7-2 first session lead, leaving himself just three frames from a second round
meeting with Australian Quinten Hann.
The Welsh left-hander was not at his best but looked set to pull off his 46th
consecutive first round victory in ranking events in a remarkable run stretching
back five years.
His form has been turned round this season after he linked up with 1979
champion Terry Griffiths, who has been offering coaching advice.
Since joining Griffiths, Williams has won the Powerhouse UK Championship and
Benson and Hedges Masters titles and is hot favourite to regain the number one
spot following O'Sullivan's early exit.
Pettman, the world number 58 from Preston, won three matches at the qualifiers
to reach the Crucible for the first time.
He won a scrappy opening frame and secured the sixth on the pink but failed to
produce his top form and compiled a highest break of only 30.
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