Championship League snooker 2021: Kyren Wilson makes history as he beats Mark Williams in final
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Updated 02/04/2021 at 21:25 GMT
Kyren Wilson booked his place in the final after winning the final three frames against John Higgins. He also etched a piece of history by knocking in 23 centuries in the tournament. His 143 was his 23rd century of the event, and that took him beyond Neil Robertson to become the player with the most centuries in a tournament in a single season.
Kyren Wilson
Image credit: Eurosport
Kyren Wilson found form at the perfect time to beat 3-2 Mark Williams and secure Championship League glory for the second time in six months.
The 29-year-old, who won the ranking version of the tournament in October, was wrestling with his game for long spells on Friday, but was able to edge into the semi-finals and picked up momentum in the knockout rounds.
He was staring at defeat as he went 2-0 down in his final group game, semi-final and final, but dug in on all three occasions to lift the prize.
Williams made an excellent start to the final, knocking in a tough cut on a red into the bottom-right pocket and then racing through the gears to take the opening frame with a 127 break.
Wilson looked well placed to level but ran out of position getting on to a black and paid the price for a poor safety, as Williams stepped in with a break of 79.
Williams had the chance to wrap up a whitewash, but Wilson pounced when the Welshman went for an ambitious red into the left middle. Wilson forced a decider, and made a bit of history for himself in the process. His 143 was his 23rd century of the event, and that took him beyond Neil Robertson to become the player with the most centuries in a tournament in a single season.
Three-time world champion Williams had been left cold for the best part of two frames, but produced a stunning opening red into a blind pocket. The black that followed was equally as good, but he missed a black when attempting to force the issue to open the pack and Wilson stepped in to secure victory - backing up his win in the ranking tournament version of the event earlier in the season.
The wins sets Wilson up nicely for the World Championship, which starts on April 17 live on Eurosport, while it also secured his place in the Champion of Champions.
Wilson booked his place in the final after winning the final three frames against John Higgins.
Higgins was comfortably the best player in the group stage and looked on course for the final after opening up a two-frame lead, but Wilson knocked in breaks of 135 and 142 and took a tense decider to advance.
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