Mark Williams completes stunning fightback as he eyes World Snooker Championship record

Mark Williams produced a vintage performance to beat world number one Judd Trump and book his place in the final of the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.

Williams, 50, who is bidding to win his fourth title and become the oldest champion in tournament history, rolled back the years as he compiled four centuries and 10 breaks over 50 in a 16-14 victory at the Crucible.

The veteran Welshman will face a player young enough to be his son in the two-day final after 28-year-old Zhao Xintong thrashed seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan 17-7 in the other semi-final on Friday.

Williams, who has been struggling with his eyesight and is scheduled to undergo lens replacement surgery next month, trailed 7-3 early in the second session but fought back to level at 8-8 and won five of the eight frames played on Saturday morning to open up a 13-11 lead.

The left-hander carried on where he left off in the final session with breaks of 67 and 65 to move 15-11 ahead, before Trump hit back with his 106th century of the season to close the gap.

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That ensured a mid-session interval would be required but Williams went into the break needing just one frame for victory after responding with a century of his own.

When play resumed Trump took the 29th frame to keep his hopes alive and also won the next with a 116 clearance after Williams missed a red to the middle with his first chance to seal victory.

Trump had the chance to pile on the pressure after a superb red to the middle in frame 31, but missed a difficult thin black and Williams grabbed the opportunity in style with a clearance of 123 to seal victory.

Williams won his first title in 2000 – when Zhao was just three years old – and his most recent in 2018, when he famously conducted his winning press conference naked – apart from a towel – to fulfil a promise made earlier in the tournament.

“It’s unbelievable. Twelve months ago I wasn’t even here. I watched it in a caravan,” Williams said at the time, having contemplated quitting the sport the previous year after losing in the final round of qualifying.