Snooker Dec 07, 2025

World Snooker Championship: Mark Williams holds off John Higgins fightback in Crucible epic to reach semi-finals

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
World Snooker Championship: Mark Williams holds off John Higgins fightback in Crucible epic to reach semi-finals

Mark Williams held off a superb fightback from fellow former winner John Higgins to triumph in a last-frame decider and reach his eighth World Championship semi-final at the Crucible.

The veteran duo, who have won seven world titles between them, were locked at 8-8 at the end of their second session before Williams put himself on the brink by taking all four frames on Wednesday's resumption.

Four-time champion Higgins, though, dug in following the mid-session interval with breaks of 94, 114 and 67 to force a decider, which Williams took after his opponent missed a tense blue on the top cushion to seal a 13-12 victory.

Williams, who had trailed 5-1 earlier in the match, made the most of some unforced errors from Higgins, 49, to edge in front and then extend his lead to 10-8.

A couple of half-century breaks from the Welshman, who claimed the last of his three world titles in 2018, saw him seemingly close in on victory at 12-8 heading into the interval.

However, having regrouped, Higgins clawed a frame back before firing in 94 to move within two.

Williams, 50, then gave away a careless foul after touching the blue with his trailing arm when he was leaning over to pot a long red with the rest.

Higgins made the most of the opportunity, digging in again to build a fine 114 break.

The Scot missed a frame-ball red along the bottom cushion after a break of 67 in the next but was still able to force a final-frame shoot-out.

With both men running out of position when looking set, the deciding frame turned into a safety battle before Higgins caught the bump on the middle pocket, which allowed Williams in to edge in front 56-52.

Higgins sunk a red with the rest after Williams missed a tricky long red, then rolled the brown in on the top cushion only to miss the blue.

Williams clipped it in before finishing off the pink and black to seal a dramatic 74-69 victory.

Ronnie O'Sullivan held off a fightback from Si Jiahui to lead 10-6 heading into Wednesday night's final session.

O'Sullivan extended his overnight advantage to 7-2 when he took the opening frame of the morning, capitalising after Si had missed a straightforward pink off the spot.

Si, a semi-finalist on his Crucible debut two years ago, then crafted a break of 101 before a fluked cannon red into the bottom corner helped set O'Sullivan on his way to a run of 75 to take the 11th frame in one visit.

Si reduced the deficit again heading into the mid-session interval, but O'Sullivan pinched the first frame back after his opponent missed a frame-ball red, getting a couple of snookers before clearing the colours.

Si rattled off consecutive half-centuries to get back to 9-6, but O'Sullivan capitalised on another unforced error from Si when missing the brown to come from behind and take the final frame of the session with a 64 break.

Zhao Xintong duly picked up the one frame he required to turn a 12-4 overnight advantage over Chris Wakelin into a 13-5 victory that sealed his place in the semi-finals for the first time.

Thursday May 1
Schedule TBC

Friday May 2
Schedule TBC

Saturday May 3
Schedule TBC

Sunday May 4
13:00-18:00
19:00-22:00

Monday May 5
13:00-16:00
19:00-22:00

Tags:

snooker news id:13358577

Share this article

Related Posts

Mark Selby holds off Judd Trump fightback to win UK Championship in York for first time since 2016

Mark Selby holds off Judd Trump fightback to win UK Championship in York for first time since 2016

Mark Selby withstood a brave fightback from world No 1 Judd Trump to clinch the third UK Championship title of his career at the Barbican Centre in York.Selby h...

Ronnie O'Sullivan to prioritise big-money offers after sponsor 'twisted arm' to play World Snooker Championship

Ronnie O'Sullivan to prioritise big-money offers after sponsor 'twisted arm' to play World Snooker Championship

Ronnie O'Sullivan claimed he needed persuasion from a new sponsor to appear in the World Snooker Championship after seeing his quest for a record-breaking eight...

World Snooker Championship: Kyren Wilson closes in on second final after dominating David Gilbert

World Snooker Championship: Kyren Wilson closes in on second final after dominating David Gilbert

Kyren Wilson is three frames away from reaching a second World Snooker Championship final after opening up a 14-10 lead over David Gilbert in a dominant third s...

World Snooker Championship: Kyren Wilson to face Jak Jones in Crucible final

World Snooker Championship: Kyren Wilson to face Jak Jones in Crucible final

Kyren Wilson reached the World Snooker Championship final for a second time after clinching a 17-11 victory over David Gilbert and will now face Jak Jones after...

World Snooker Championship final: Kyren Wilson leads Jak Jones 11-6, needs seven more frames to win title

World Snooker Championship final: Kyren Wilson leads Jak Jones 11-6, needs seven more frames to win title

Kyren Wilson opened up an 11-6 lead over qualifier Jak Jones on an enthralling day one of the World Snooker Championship final at The Crucible as he aims to go...

World Snooker Championship 2024: Kyren Wilson holds nerve to defeat Jak Jones in Crucible final

World Snooker Championship 2024: Kyren Wilson holds nerve to defeat Jak Jones in Crucible final

Kyren Wilson held off a spirited final-session rally from Welsh qualifier Jak Jones to win the World Snooker Championship final 18-14.Wilson, who raced into a 7...