Mark Williams added another chapter of success to what has been an outstanding career by winning the 2024 Champion of Champions on Sunday in Bolton.
The Welshman produced a strong performance to see off the challenge of Xiao Guodong with a 10-6 victory at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
In what was his first appearance in a Champion of Champions final, Williams got off to the perfect start by winning the opening five frames.
Xiao was in some ways a shock finalist, but by the end of the first session he began to demonstrate the fantastic form that has taken him to a top-16 ranking for the first time.
The 35 year-old from China, who earned an invitation to this event by winning a maiden ranking title at the recent Wuhan Open, beat Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, and Mark Allen to get this far in the tournament.
Breaks of 55 and 101 helped him win the last three frames of the afternoon session, and he duly began the evening bout of play with a second century break to close to within just one of his esteemed opponent.
But Williams responded as all great champions do, by shutting the door with a fine century break of his own.
A run of 62 in the following frame restored the three-frame advantage, and although Xiao twice reduced the arrears to two again, the comeback challenge ultimately proved to be insurmountable.
At 8-6 in front, contributions of 95 and 67 from Williams saw him complete the victory and pocket the £150,000 top prize.
The world number six turns 50 in about four months but shows very few signs that his presence at the pinnacle of the sport is nearing its climax.
As a three-time world champion, former world number one, and the winner of more than two-dozen ranking events, Williams had already long established himself as an all-time great.
Yet in 2024, the player known as the Welsh Potting Machine has added two more prestigious titles to his collection – this Champion of Champions triumph made possible through his success at the Tour Championship in April.
After beating women’s world champion Bai Yulu in his opening fixture of the week, Williams ousted reigning Crucible champion Kyren Wilson and then Neil Robertson to reach the title-deciding contest.
The glory comes a few months after he narrowly missed out on earning a record-equalling £500,000 payday when he came up agonisingly short in the final of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters.
It was not the conclusion to the tournament that Xiao would have wanted, but it was another terrific week as he became the first player from China to feature in a Champion of Champions final.
The world number 16 has been the most improved player on the circuit this season and will deservedly head to the upcoming UK Championship in York with confidence brimming as one of the seeds.
Xiao might represent a dark horse to go far at the Barbican Centre as well, while Williams has proved that he still has time to challenge for the game’s biggest trophies.
“I can’t believe it,” Mark Williams told ITV. “I’m stood here just about to pick that trophy up and I don’t know how I’m doing it really, but I’m sticking in there.”
“The interval came at the perfect time for me because if it carried on, he was probably going to run away with it.
“I’m lost for words really. I’m over the moon.”
2024 Champion of Champions draw
Group 1
Mark Allen 4-2 Igor Figueiredo
Gary Wilson 2-4 Jak Jones
Group 1 Final
Mark Allen 6-4 Jak Jones
Group 2
Judd Trump 4-0 Ding Junhui
Ali Carter 3-4 Neil Robertson
Group 2 Final
Judd Trump 4-6 Neil Robertson
Group 3
Kyren Wilson 4-1 Luca Brecel
Mark Williams 4-1 Bai Yulu
Group 3 Final
Kyren Wilson 5-6 Mark Williams
Group 4
Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-4 Xiao Guodong
Mark Selby 4-2 Shaun Murphy
Group 4 Final
Xiao Guodong 6-5 Mark Selby
Semi-Finals
Mark Allen 3-6 Xiao Guodong
Mark Williams 6-2 Neil Robertson
Final
Xiao Guodong 6-10 Mark Williams
Click here to view the full updated draw
(snooker.org)
Featured photo credit: WST
