World Championship 2018: Mark Williams wins nervy Crucible classic against Barry Hawkins

ByEurosport

Updated 06/05/2018 at 07:25 GMT

Mark Williams edged a nerve-shredding semi-final with Barry Hawkins 17-15 to book a World Championship showdown with John Higgins at the Crucible.

Mark Williams

Image credit: Getty Images

A tense final session saw both players litter the table with errors, but it was the Welshman who proved the strongest as he overturned a 13-11 deficit.

It was a match packed with turning points – none more pivotal than with Hawkins leading 15-14 when the Englishman followed up a wonderful black with a hopeless red into the jaws.

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The momentum swung back and forth, with Williams eventually drawing level at 15-15 before pinching the next frame.

Both players toiled under the Crucible’s gaze in the 32nd frame – with Williams jokingly patting his opponent on the back after a string of misses – as it came down to the colours.

And Williams held his nerve on a long pink and tight black to book a date with Higgins, who had earlier reached his seventh final with a 17-13 triumph over Kyren Wilson.

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THIRD SESSION REPORT

Williams trailed Hawkins 13-11 after the third session of their World Championship semi-final at the Crucible.

Hawkins maintained his two-frame advantage despite a valiant effort by Williams to close the lead before the final session.

A break of 68 in the last frame before the session interval crowned an excellent comeback by Williams, with the score level at 10 frames all.

Hawkins recovered at the restart to take his 11th frame, before a break of 133 gave him back his two-frame lead.

Williams scored a century of his own to narrow the difference to a single frame before Hawkins punished Williams for missing on 50 by piecing together a superb 73 to maintain his two-frame lead.

SECOND SESSION REPORT

In the first mini-session of Friday's play, Williams began 5-3 down after Hawkins edged the first session.

He pulled a frame back in the opening, with a break of 80 sending him on his way to take the first, before taking the second frame to level the score at 5-5.

Hawkins held on, and a superb cannon allowed him to regain the lead with one frame left before the interval.

Williams then won his third frame of the day, courtesy of an excellent swerve shot.

Hawkins used the break to steady himself, and having seen Williams do the same, took three consecutive frames, with a special double for his ninth frame win.

With the situation looking ominous, Williams scraped to the final set of the session to stay in touch before tomorrow's play begins.

FIRST SESSION REPORT

The 2013 finalist Hawkins pieced together runs of 129, 74, 52 and 90 as he led 3-1 and 5-2 before double world champion Williams made 110 in the final frame of the session to ensure he ended the day no further than two frames adrift.

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They play the second of their four scheduled sessions at 2:30pm on Friday with both men likely to be relatively pleased with their work for the night.

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Hawkins, from Ditton in Kent, has a real pedigree at the sport's most iconic venue in recent years.

Since losing the 2013 final five years ago to Ronnie O'Sullivan, Hawkins has made the last four in four of the past five years while also enjoying a run to the last eight two years ago.

Williams has not featured in the one-table set-up in Sheffield since losing 17-14 to John Higgins seven years ago. He is chasing a third a world title to go with his victories in 2000 and 2003.