Williams - in dominant mood.
WILLIAMS SETS NEW CRUCIBLE RECORD
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Mark Williams set a new Crucible record as he stormed into the quarter-finals
of the Embassy World Championship with a session to spare.
Williams, the champion three years ago, won 13 frames in a row to thrash
Australian Quinten Hann 13-2 and set up a last eight showdown with Stephen
Hendry.
"That's a record Hendry doesn't have," joked Williams, who will regain his
number one spot in the rankings if he beats the Scot to reach the semi-finals.
"I wouldn't have fancied taking 13 frames in a row off my mate in the club,
never mind at the Crucible so I'm over the moon.
"I've got a night off, which is nice. I know Stephen won't give me as many
chances as Quinten did so I've got to be fresh to try and get a good lead."
Williams lost the first two frames but led 6-2 overnight and cleared from
brown to black to extend his lead to 7-2.
The 27-year-old left-hander made it 10-2 with runs of 41, 48 and 40 and closed
out the match with breaks of 62, 56 and 69.
"Quinten missed a pink to go 3-0 up when I was all over the place but after
that I was in control of the match all the way through," Williams said. "He
kept on missing easy balls and I punished him.
"To beat anyone 13-2 at the Crucible is unbelievable, especially when you
consider how good Quinten can be."
Hann was preparing to fly home but at least had the consolation of having
secured his place in the elite top 16 for a second successive season.
"I just played badly the whole match. I seemed to get to 30 and then miss,"
he said. "I had plenty of chances and there were at least five frames I should
have won that would have made the scoreline closer.
"I don't know why I played like that. I didn't feel nervous because my top 16
place is already guaranteed.
"Sometimes you go out there and feel lost at sea and capable of missing
anything. That's how I felt for the whole match.
"I've been practising a lot for the last six weeks but that doesn't make up
for five years of bad habits.
"Hopefully, things will change next season."
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