Champion of Champions: Mark Williams beats Kyren Wilson to reach semi-finals
Mark Williams defeated Kyren Wilson 6-5 in Tuesday’s Group Two final to advance to the semi-finals of the Championship of Champions tournament.
Wilson came back from 5-3 down to force a decider, but Williams’ performance was enough to secure victory over the reigning world champion.
Williams, ranked sixth in the world, led 3-2 after breaking serve at 109 and 72, while England’s Wilson tied his 100-stroke score.
The Welshman then restored his two-set advantage with scores of 140 and 71 at Bolton, but world number two Wilson responded with 123.
Williams’ 56 in the 10th over pushed victory to the brink and although Wilson’s 58 kept the match alive, Williams’ performance was enough to ensure he kept going.
Previously, Williams defeated the women’s world champion Bai Yulu of China in the group semifinals.
Although the 21-year-old, ranked fourth in the women’s world, leveled the score at 1-1, Williams won the next three games to seal the victory 4-1, a single he had scored in the opening match. The highest score was 92.
Wilson also won his first match 4-1 on Tuesday, hitting a double century against Belgium’s Luca Brecel after the 2023 world champion took the first frame. Easy win.
Williams followed Northern Ireland player Mark Allen into the semi-finals of the invitational tournament, where 16 players were divided into four groups of four.
The winners of each group will advance to the semi-finals, with the winner of Sunday’s final taking home the first prize of £150,000.
