Mark Williams makes stunning clearance to beat Liam Highfield in final frame and book place in European Masters

Published 16/07/2022 at 12:22 GMT

The snooker season is beginning to crank into life, and qualifying for the European Masters is underway. Mark Williams was one of the stars on show and the three-time World Championship winner showed his battling qualities to rally from behind and knock in a nerveless break to beat Liam Highfield in a decider.

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Mark Williams demonstrated nerves of steel to knock in a superb clearance of 62 in the final frame to beat Liam Highfield in European Masters qualifying.

The three-time world champion, who as his followers on social media will know has spent much of the summer playing pool, made a slow start and trailed 2-1 and 4-2.

But he is one of the strongest match players in the game and pegged Highfield back.

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Highfield got in first in the decider and led 61-0, but he missed a tough cut to the bottom left, and it proved costly.

Williams played a trademark drag shot to knock in the opening red and hold for a colour.

He picked off the simple reds, but the final two were welded together.

Williams assessed his options, and opted to drop in behind them. It required the touch of a surgeon, but he placed the white exactly where he wanted it. He repeated the shot on the second of the reds and went to complete a break of 62 to seal a 5-4 win and his place in the event proper.

Stephen Maguire suffered a shock 5-4 defeat to Oliver Brown, while Dominic Dale claimed a 5-3 win over Joe Perry.

Yan Bingtao lost the opening two frames, but rallied to beat Pang Junxu 5-2 and Kyren Wilson beat Stephen Craigie by the same scoreline.

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