Before this World Snooker Championship Mark Williams made a promise to conduct his press conference naked should he win the tournament, and he proved a man of his word on Monday night when he strode into the media centre wearing only a towel and a sheepish grin following his epic 18-16 victory over John Higgins at the Crucible.
Asked immediately after winning the contest, which proved to be one of the best finals ever seen in Sheffield, Williams said he would go through with the stunt so long as world snooker chairman Barry Hearn promised not to hit him with a fine.
“It’s cold in here, init?” quipped the Welshman as slipped out of his towel and behind the safety of a cloth-covered table in front of the world’s media. “It feels a little bit uncomfortable at the minute. I had to wear the towel on the orders of Barry Hearn otherwise I would just have walked in, just crying.
“It’s an unbelievable story. Twelve months ago I was thinking about chucking it, and here I am doing an interview having won the 2018 World Championship, naked.
“If I won this again next year, I’d do this again – I’d cartwheel round here naked.
“I’m going to party the night away. Last time I won it I think I had half a pint of milk and went to bed. I’m not going to bed this time – it’ll be daylight before I get to bed.”
Mark Williams enters the media centre (Rex)
Once the laughs died down he admitted that he was “over the moon” to have become a three-time world champion, especially after such a gruelling contest.
“To play John in a final is an experience in itself,” Williams said. “You’ve got to expect a comeback because when you’re 50 or 60 in front, he’s the best I’ve ever seen at clearing up and that includes Ronnie O’Sullivan. I was thinking, ‘I’m not going to get over the line here.’ I knew if I didn’t get enough he was going to clear up again, but I’m over the moon.
“Last year I was seriously thinking of giving up, but my game is in pretty good shape now.”
Higgins has now lost two finals in succession having fallen to Mark Selby last year, and remains on a total of four world titles. ”I was 14-7 behind and I was worried if I wouldn’t take it to the fourth session,” Higgins said. “I didn’t want to lose with a session to spare.
“It was unbelievable to play in front of this crowd. The last frame was just a joke there for him to play that well under that pressure. He’s a great champion.”
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“It’s an unbelievable story really,” said Mark Williams. “Two months ago I was thinking about chucking it in and here I am now, bollock naked, doing an interview having just won the 2018 world championship, beating John Higgins 18-16. Where’s it come from?”
The Welshman was not alone in asking the question. Players and fans alike were trying to get their heads round a final that swung one way then the other over the course of its two days, and required 34 of the maximum 35 frames to reach a verdict. For the media, they had to adapt to the sight of Williams conducting his first press conference as champion in nothing but a towel – and that a gesture towards modesty made only at the insistence of the promoter, Barry Hearn. Talk about a winning streak.
World Snooker Championship final: Mark Williams v John Higgins – as it happened Read more
Williams, as a joke of course, had pledged to speak to the press in the buff in the event of becoming champion. He had failed to qualify for this tournament in 2017 and this time last year was actively contemplating retirement, only to be persuaded otherwise by his wife, Joanne. In 2018, however, Williams has come on strong, winning two ranked tournaments already before his triumphant return to Sheffield – and all at the age of 43.
The battle between two graduates of the Class of 92 was just another subplot in a final with no end of them. Williams and Higgins first played each other in the 1994 Thailand Open. Higgins won his first of four world titles in 1998. Williams won his last of two before this in 2003. Theirs was the oldest pairing in the history of the final and Williams is the oldest champion since his fellow Welshman Ray Reardon in 1978.
“I went out there to enjoy it. Win or lose, I can honestly say I didn’t really mind‚“ said Williams, whose calmness was the defining aspect of his performance. “I was just enjoying the occasion and it felt amazing. I got a bit emotional in the end but deservedly so, as it’s a big occasion for me. To be honest, I thought these days had all passed.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Mark Williams stays true to his word and strips off for the post-match interview after his fairytale world title win. Photograph: Richard Sellers/PA
For Higgins the feelings were different, of course. The Scot lost last year’s final, beaten by an exhilarating comeback from Mark Selby. For much of this final day it looked as if Higgins might achieve a similar feat for himself. Trailing by three frames overnight and at one point 14-7 down, Higgins came back to level the match at 15 frames each only for Williams to clinch it at the last. Asked if this was a more satisfying way to lose, the 42-year-old was concise. “Pain is pain‚” he said.
When Higgins got in his groove, he played the final’s best snooker. He hit four century breaks, including the highest of the match, of 131. Some of his clearances, particularly at the start of the evening session when he won four frames in succession, were breathtaking. He really, nearly pulled it off.
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“I came in tonight and Mark was ahead by a couple of frames. I cleaned up on him a couple of times and at 15-14 I did it again,” Higgins said. “For the next two frames after that I played a couple of really bad shots at the height of the pressure. But then Mark missed the pink at 17-15 and I’ve knocked the red into the middle and cleaned up.” The pink that bobbled out of the top pocket in the penultimate frame was the type Williams had been making consistently throughout the match. But in the final evening session funny things began to happen. Williams was unable to build on his breaks, tapping out around 40, and Higgins just kept clearing the table. At one point in the session the Scot had a potting accuracy of 99%.
Then, with the score at 17-16 to Williams, there was one final swing of the pendulum. Williams broke, potting first one red, then another out of a tight pack. He took advantage of the second and built a break of 70. After Higgins failed to get a necessary snooker and Williams another red, the match was over. “The break he made in the last frame, especially the first red, it’s one of the best breaks I’ve ever seen under pressure,” Higgins said.
Once a player has resisted that pressure, confronting the media in the altogether is easy. Both of the 40-something snooker stars say they will be back at the Crucible next year. Williams also knew what he was about to do more immediately. “I’m going to party the night away, I think‚” he said. “The last time I won it I had a glass of milk and went to bed. I’m not going to bed this time.”
At 42 years old and 15 years after he last won the title, Mark Williams is champion of the world again, seeing off John Higgins 18-16 in one of the greatest finals of all-time
So unlikely did Mark Williams' world title win seem a year ago, that the Welshman pledged to strip off for his press conference should he triumph.
He entered the Crucible media centre on Monday night wearing only a broad smile and a towel after becoming the oldest champion since 1978.
The 43-year-old withstood a fierce John Higgins onslaught to claim a dramatic 18-16 victory and his third Sheffield success 15 years after his last.
Mark Williams strides into his post-match press conference wearing nothing but a towel
The heavily tattooed Williams had promised to do his media duties naked if he won
The Welshman removes the towel while being interviewed following his memorable win
Williams' previous world title victories came while he was in his twenties, in 2000 and 2003
And so he emerged with just the Betfred towel to spare his blushes as he explained how his incredible return to the top had sparked his bizarre promise.
Williams, whose heavily tattooed arms and back were on display for all to see, was roared into the media room and said: 'Cold in here, isn't it!'
Asked how his success felt, Williams said: 'It feels a little bit uncomfortable at the minute. I had to wear the towel on the orders of Barry Hearn otherwise I would just have walked in, just crying.
'It's an unbelievable story. Twelve months ago I was thinking about chucking it, and here I am doing an interview having won the 2018 World Championship, naked.
'If I won this again next year, I'd do this again - I'd cartwheel round here naked.'
Not since 45-year-old Ray Reardon won the last of his six titles has a man in their forties lifted the trophy. But the Welshman's resurgence this season has been remarkable.
'It's unbelievable,' said Williams. 'Twelve months ago I wasn't even here. I was watching it in a caravan sipping beers.
'Last time I won I had a glass of milk and went to bed but I'm going to party the night away this time.' Williams considered retirement after failing to even qualify for the sport's showpiece event 12 months ago.
He was dissuaded by wife, Jo, and remodelled his technique with the help of alignment coach Steve Feeney. It has paid off and then some.
Williams ended a six-year barren spell with victories in Northern Ireland and Germany either side of Christmas and the £425,000 winner's cheque he pocketed here takes his earnings this season to £885,400.
Williams poses for a photo with his family as he celebrated the two-frame win over Higgins
Williams embraces his partner after winning the World Championship on Monday night
'I got emotional towards the end because it's a big occasion,' said Williams. 'I was thinking about chucking it in last year.
'I don't know where it's come from. I've done something I never thought I'd do again.' A fifth title continues to elude Higgins who fell at the final hurdle for the second straight year.
The Scot overturned a 10-7 deficit against Judd Trump to win his last title in 2011 but required even greater powers of recovery seven years on as Williams won the first four frames on Monday to stretch his lead to seven.
Higgins knows such tasks are not insurmountable having seen a six-frame lead evaporate against Mark Selby in last year's final.
He set about climbing his Everest and ended Williams' seven-frame streak by winning the next three, before Williams had the last word in the afternoon to take a five-frame lead into the evening's finale.
But Higgins' steel has become the stuff of Sheffield legend and what followed after dinner ensured this will go down as one of the greatest nights at this fabled theatre.
Higgins delivered a barrage, winning the first five frames to make it eight out of nine and restore parity at 15-15.
Williams was forced to withstand a stirring effort from Higgins (pictured) who battled back
The Welshman clinches his third World Championship and his first in 15 years with the victory
As the clock ticked past 9pm, this two-day marathon was suddenly a best-of-five sprint.
Williams look shell-shocked but somehow summoned one last push.
He stopped the rot to prevent Higgins leading for the first time and moved one from victory with a century.
A 63 break took him one pot from glory but there was another twist as he rattled a simple pink to win and Higgins cleared up.
But Williams held his nerve and finally sealed victory with a break of 69.
'If I'd lost I'd have been sick after having the pink to win,' said Williams. 'I'd expect to make that 48 times out of 50.
'I don't know where that last break came from but it's one of the best I've made under pressure in my life. I'm over the moon.'
