22 hours Ago By [email protected] (Mark Whiley)
Mark Williams issued a damning verdict on his World Snooker Championship chances after his early exit at the Tour Championship. The three-time world champion was routed 10-3 by Ding Junhui in Manchester, having fitted contact lenses amid his worsening eyesight. The Welsh Potting Machine offered no excuses for his defeat to an impressive Ding and gave a grim verdict about his chances at the Crucible.
Williams told ITV : “I don’t think I potted five balls tonight. No hard luck, he outplayed me, he played really good.” Pressed on whether he would stick with the contacts, he said: “I’ll have to stick with them.
The World Championship is left [this season]. Whoever qualifies is going to be praying they draw me in the first round.” A number of big names are trying to qualify, including Ali Carter, retiring Welshman Dominic Dale and Williams’ protege Jackson Page.
Williams addressed his sight issues at last month’s Players Championship in Telford, where he beat Ding before losing to world champion Kyren Wilson. He said: “My eyes have completely gone. “For the last six months it has deteriorated quite badly.
It was just long ones that were blurry, but now everything is blurry." Ding will face Wilson in the Tour Championship quarter-finals. Meanwhile, Mark Selby will take on Neil Robertson in the last eight after defeating Si Jiahui 10-6, while China’s Xiao Guodong faces John Higgins after defeating compatriot Wu Yize 10-8.
After contemplating retirement 12 months ago, Selby, who won the Welsh Open in February, insists he is in a better place. Speaking after his win over Si, the Jester said: “I am practising more now and enjoying it more. "Last year I wasn't putting the work in because I wasn't enjoying the game.
I feel quietly confident now. To win two ranking titles [the British Open and the Welsh Open] makes it a good season. “There are still some poor performances in there so I need to be more consistent.
Overall I was happy with the way I played today but I know I'll need to improve against Neil, I'll have to cut out the silly mistakes.".
