The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
And he clawed back to within three frames when taking the next. Williams seemingly had it for the taking, but a mistake at 58-1 saw Higgins return to the table with a clearance of 67.
Davis said Higgins had “thrown a hand grenade into Mark Williams’ brain” with those two quickfire frames.
And so it proved as he rattled a red around the jaws of a pocket to let Higgins in with a chance at 47-0.
Showing nerves of steel Higgins nicked the frame with a break of 82. A pensive Williams, biting his lip, could only sit and suffer, his lead now cut to two.
Higgins steamrollered the next 91-0 to leave the final tantalisingly poised at 15-14 as the players took a 10 minute time out.
After a much needed cuppa the two veteran stars of the green baize resumed hostilities, with ice-cool Higgins drawing level at 15-15.
Williams finally stopped Higgins’s miraculous march to take the 31st and 32nd frames to leave ‘the Welsh potting machine’ just one shy of the greatest prize in the sport.
Williams was one pot away from victory but he missed a pink in the next. Higgins, 63-0 behind, yet again defied the odds to steal the frame with a clearance of 65 and get back to within one.
But Williams wasn’t to be denied, sealing the championship in the next frame and after the trophy presention duly kept his promise – or threat – to strip off for the media.
“Cold in here innit” he beamed.
Much has changed…
? 2000
? 2003
? 2018@markwil147 beats Higgins 18-16 to win his third world title – 15 years after his last!#ilovesnooker @Betfred pic.twitter.com/ZCAngQ9MkZ— World Snooker (@WorldSnooker1) May 7, 2018
