Great to see Williams giving Higgins a glimpse of an unlikely victory and then just wheek it away. A symbolic fuck off to cheating.
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Wonderful scenes here.
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He is a class act. He’s John Higgins.
So true
Williams seems a decent auld sort.
Some going to win it again after 15yr gap and not even been in championship last year.
Son of a miner from Ebbw Vale in the South Wales valleys who learned the game in a working man’s club. A throwback.
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Who is this bird on Eurosport interviewing Williams? She sounds Irish.
Rachel Casey. She does bits for Racing UK aswell
Ultimately, the only real relevance to 1992 is we now have the first back to back losing finalist since Jimmy’s run of five in a row from 1990-94.
A brilliant final with the best possible result. The ‘you are still a champion John’ stuff really grates on me.
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Guys, I said at the interval that whatever happened afterwards, it would be memorable and rich in drama and narrative, and how that proved to be so.
Mark’s return to win the title again after 15 years is one of the great Crucible and sporting stories. During his 1998 to 2003 peak he did enough to prove himself an all-time great player, but he underachieved for years afterwards. This tournament and final have added the most memorable chapter of all, it’s a real fairytale return to glory for him and puts him firmly up alongside the other greats of his era, Hendry, O’Sullivan and his opponent in this final. It’s to Mark’s true credit that he was able to narrowly overcome an opponent who showcased every quality that has made him such a great, in spades.
It may be cliched, but John genuinely lost nothing except a snooker match there. If anything, his legend grew. His comeback today proved that he is the ultimate match player, and he played some of the best snooker we’ve ever seen him play over his great career. I referred earlier to his incredible clearance in the final frame of the 2006 Masters final. He pulled out at least three similar clearances under the greatest pressure today. There’s only one man who has shown more unbreakable will and resolve in May than John, and that’s Bobby Sands.
I’m actually really glad that what happened in the penultimate frame happened.
Mark clearly had it all but won, but somehow slipped right on the line. It gave each player a chance to prove his greatness one final time in this final - John by saving the match, Mark by taking what would have been a fatal psychological blow for most players in his stride and re-winning the match in the final frame.
Even at the snookers required stage in the final frame there was still more drama when Mark missed the brown, before pulling off that majestic final pot.
You could tell both players had the greatest of respect for each other at the end. That’s always the way when John is involved. I still remember how his Mum embraced Ken Doherty after John’s maiden win in 1998, and how John so warmly congratulated Ronnie O’Sullivan in 2001.
I really enjoyed the scenes with Mark’s family at the presentation - the scenes were as touching as have been seen at the Crucible for many years - perhaps since Alex Higgins in 1982. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the running for BBC SPOTY.
A great final, a great tournament, the Crucible never disappoints.
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Lads that was a fantastic tournament with a very worthy champion what a two weeks it has been I will miss it dearly lunch time tomorrow.
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Yeah, great scenes at the end. Mark’s wife hasn’t been too well in recent months. As has been well documented she talked him out of retirement this time last year after he lost to Stuart Carrigton in the qualifiers. Its one of the all time great comeback stories in any sport.
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I always think the year is gone once The Masters and the snooker are over. Roll on 2019.
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Nice of Mark too to have a word for his long time sponsor Ron Skinner, who sadly passed away recently.
He’s paid Ron the ultimate tribute for sticking by him during his lean years with this memorable comeback victory.
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You think that mate, but there’s always something else around the corner sporting wise. The World Snooker Championship is a 17 day epic though. Its really anti-climatic when its over.
True to his word!
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The Snooker world Championship has the same buzz as the football World cup for me,thank God we don’t have to wait every four years for the Crucible.
its very anti climactic when its over by 10pm on the monday tho
Jan Verhaas should be stating “Frame number 34 Mark Williams to break” at just after 11pm with the match poised on a Monday night
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In the words of Crowded House, every time they go, the snooker players always take the weather with them.
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the lack of football jersies bothered me tho
i did see a Coventry City one last night however