By Richard Preen

World Ranking: 2
Date Of Birth: 21/03/75
Form: W/RU/W/SF/QF
World Championship best: Winner - 2000

Mark Williams, provisionally ranked number one in the world, will be eager to demonstrate his position as the games best player by becoming World Champion for a second time.

Going into the championships the number one ranking could still be obtained by one of three players the other two being Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry.

Williams has pole position though and is unlikely to relinquish this provisional mantle easily.

He has shown great pedigree already this season by winning the games two other great majors, the UK Championships and the Benson and Hedges Masters.

If he adds the World title to his role of honour he will become only the third player behind Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis to hold all three trophies at the same time.

A runners-up position and two semi-final spots have added further to his accumulative ranking total this season.

Williams' peak arrived in 2000 when he became the first left-hander to win the World Championships with a hard fought victory against compatriot Matthew Stevens.

Williams eventually prevailed 18-16 even though at one stage he had trailed Stevens 13-7.

He has also amassed a tournament haul of 13 ranking event victories which has netted him over £2.5 million.

Recently he has been exchanging a war of words with his main rival Ronnie O'Sullivan after comments made against Williams in O'Sullivan's newly published autobiography.

This intense rivalry has only added to the anticipation ahead of the World Championships and could set the stage for a mammoth semi-final encounter when the two players are scheduled to collide.

Williams will need to progress in three matches before the chance meeting emerges including a first round game against Stuart Pettman.

The pre-match omens do not look rosy for Pettman as Williams boasts an amazing record of not losing a first round ranking event match in over four years.

This record still stands with 45 straight first round successes to his name which is a remarkable achievement considering the strength of the players coming through.

Williams is one of the pre-tournament favourites and although he's made early exits in 2001 and 2002, expect a strong assault from him this time round.