Williams quickly wrapped up a semi-final spot
WILLIAMS RETURNS TO NUMBER ONE
By PA Sport Staff
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Mark Williams has become only the second player to return to number one in
snooker's world rankings.
Williams is the new number one after his clinical 13-7 victory over friend and
rival Stephen Hendry in the Embassy World Championships at Sheffield.
Williams' fellow Welshman Ray Reardon was the last man to achieve the feat
exactly two decades ago when he took over from Canadian Cliff Thorburn.
But after reaching one of his goals the 28-year-old from Cwm is now just two
wins away from becoming world champion for the first time since 2000.
Stephen Lee, the world number seven, or Hong Kong's Marco Fu stands in
Williams' way as he chases snooker's triple crown.
Only a small group of players have ever won the World, UK and Masters titles
in the same season and Williams is favourite to join the select club.
He resumed this morning with a 10-6 lead and required only another 45 minutes
to end Hendry's quest for an eighth world crown.
"13-7 is a good result for me against a player like Stephen," said
Williams.
"He didn't play that well to be fair and I won a few scrappy frames. In the
end I did enough to win though I know I can play better.
"It's great to get back to number one. That's what I've been practising hard
for in the last 12 months or so.
"Now, I've got it back, it's a great achievement. I think I'm only the second
player to regain it and I feel really proud because the standard of the game now
is so high.
"I wouldn't say I'm playing as well as I did when I won the world title. I'm
not far away but hopefully I can improve.
"When Stephen and I are playing I want to beat him as much as any other
player. But when you shake hands and are walking out of the arena then I wish
I'd beaten someone else."
Williams might have expected to play Ronnie O'Sullivan for a place in the
final. But O'Sullivan went down to Fu, depriving the championship of seeing a
real grudge match.
"Ideally, if you win the world championship you want to beat all the best
players," added Williams.
"And Ronnie is one of the best players. But I suppose it does help that he's
gone out though it will just as tough against Stephen or Marco."
Disappointed Hendry said: "I hope Mark goes on to win it now but it doesn't
really make it any easier losing to a mate.
"It wasn't the best match Mark and I have ever played. I was good in patches
but I didn't make the most of my chances.
"I felt if I could have got level during the second session on Tuesday night
I might have been able to forge ahead. But 10-6 is too big a deficit to make up
against a player like Mark.
"He is going to be tough to beat now and I hope he wins it. However, there
are other players who are looking good.
"If John Higgins wins from 10-0 down against Ken Doherty that will give his
confidence a massive lift. And Peter Ebdon is still looking strong and making a
good defence of his title."
Ebdon resumes the second half of his penultimate session against Yorkshire
hope Paul Hunter 7-5 in front.
The title holder won three of the first four frames, including a break of
exactly 100, after starting the morning level at 4-4.
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