Higgins will need a good start to tomorrowās session. If OāSullivan gets a couple on the board early doors he could pull away.
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Since beating Stephen Hendry (6), Stephen Lee (7) and Ken Doherty (5) en route to winning the World Championship in 2003, Mark Williams in the intervening 19 years has only had two wins over a player seeded in the top 10 at the Crucible. John Higgins on both occasions, Higgins was seeded 5 in both 2018 when they met in the final and in the second round in 2021.
I just didnāt get all the talking up of Williams. He regularly looks good in the early rounds, but has struggled for years when thereās a step up a level in his opponent.
In other words a great man cycling down the hill with the wind at his back
Over the last near 20 years, yes. In his early years prime, in fairness, Williams could beat just about any player - bar Ronnie.
He didnāt play a seeded player in 2018 until he beat Higgins in the final?
Bloody hell.
I said a player seeded in Top 10. Iāve just looked up the 2018 Championship and I see that he actually beat Barry Hawkins (6) in the semi final. So thereās actually two top 10 seeded players in that period, Hawkins and Higgins. Article I read stated that Higgins was only Top 10 player heād beaten since 2003 at the Crucible.
Williams has lost all 5 Crucible meetings to Ronnie, has never beaten Trump, Robertson there and his lone win over Selby in 2006, was when Selby was starting out and was unseeded. Williams struggles against top tier players.
Selby hammered him last year if I recall correctly.
Selby beat Williams 13-3 last year. A session to spare.
Trump wasnāt even that good yesterday. Williams was just very bad.
Maybe he shits himself against the top players.
I just think its more a case of Williams is not a Tier 1 player anymore and hasnāt been for a long time. Heās still a solid Top 10 player. He definitely benefited from a favourable draw and big seeds crashing out early when he won in 2018.
In fairness in the early stages of his career at various stages between 1998-2003 at his peak, he was the top player in the world and could beat all the big guns then.
10-4 this morning and Trump has a chance for 11-4
Safe to say Judd back to his best. Incredible break
Same pattern of Williams breaking down and Trump jumping in.
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11-4
That was a brilliant 79 clearance from Trump after Williams missed on 52.
Trump is finding his form now. Iād give him every chance of prevailing on Monday night.
Hitting form at the right time
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The two lads in the other semi will near enough go all the way and will be bolloxed, Trump will be fresh from the other side and back in form. He is gone favourite now with the bookies and righfully so.
Savage frame from Williams fair play to him.
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Williams did well to share this session, in light of Juddās form. He could even have won 5-3.
OāSullivan wins the first frame. Higgins is barely hanging in here youād think.
Important for Higgins to win that tactical frame to stay in touch and he does despite having a bad run of the balls in it at times. 5-5.