Mark Williams is snooker legend’s hero after latest age-defying triumph at Champion of Champions

Stephen Hendry has labelled Mark Williams his leader aft the 49-year-old claimed the Champion of Champions rubric connected Sunday night.

The three-time satellite champion bushed Xiao Guodong 10-6 successful Bolton to assertion the £150,000 apical prize and yet again beryllium helium is 1 of the champion successful the satellite contempt turning 50 successful March.

Williams bushed women’s satellite champion Bai Yulu successful his opening contention earlier knocking retired satellite champion Kyren Wilson and past Neil Robertson to scope the final.

There helium romped into a 5-0 pb earlier Xiao impressively fought backmost into the contest, but the Welshman was excessively strong, winning 5 of the past 7 frames with breaks of 104, 62, 80, 95 and 67.

The Welsh Potting Machine’s singular vocation continues, 32 years aft turning professional, sitting astatine fig six successful the satellite rankings and present the existent holder of 2 immense titles successful the Champion of Champions and Tour Championship.

Seven-time satellite champion Hendry is stunned by his friend’s success, saying connected ITV4: ‘He’s my hero, I person to accidental it. He is my champion mate connected circuit arsenic well, but what he’s doing astatine astir 50, however he’s playing and the mode helium plays with not a attraction successful the satellite it’s conscionable incredible, I emotion it.’

Williams has had a spot of a rollercoaster season, reaching the last of the big-money Saudi Arabia Masters astatine the commencement of September, but past struggling for a fewer tournaments arsenic helium got utilized to a caller cue.

He is intelligibly comfy with his caller portion of wood now, though, and is gladsome to beryllium his critics incorrect implicit the move, including his pal Hendry.

‘I had a caller cue, which I knew I was going to conflict with, I knew I was going to suffer 2 oregon 3 first-rounders,’ helium said. ‘I wasn’t disquieted astir that due to the fact that I truly similar my caller cue and I knew it would travel good.

‘I’ve been getting slated by a batch of radical for changing cues, I’m not going to notation immoderate names Hendry, but it’s starting to travel alright present and each of a abrupt the cue is the champion happening I’ve ever had successful my hands.’

Xiao is enjoying a superb play himself, winning the Wuhan Open, reaching the apical 16 for the archetypal clip and making it to the Champion of Champions last connected debut wherever helium won £60,000 for his efforts.

He said it was a pleasance to play a fable of the crippled and called for Williams, on with Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins to play for different 20 years.

Williams is not definite helium tin agelong to that age, but has perfectly nary plans to discontinue and volition support connected playing until the wheels autumn off.

‘I’m not retiring, I’m going to support going until I autumn disconnected the tour, whenever that is,’ helium said. ‘If I’m coming retired successful my zimmer framework it doesn’t matter, conscionable transportation on.

‘I’m enjoying it. Winning is evidently bully but if I suffer I don’t truly interest astir it, conscionable effort your best, it’s each you tin do.’

He added: ‘It is different play wherever I’ve picked up a trophy. I don’t cognize what to accidental really. It seems the older I’m getting, the much enactment I’m getting from the crowd. It is unbelievable. I’m mislaid for words.

‘I’ve got thing to beryllium anymore. I’m conscionable going to bask it. Even if I’d mislaid contiguous I would person congratulated Xiao and said good done. I’m implicit the moon.’

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