Williams Back to his Best
Mark Williams won a high quality match 6-4 to put Shaun Murphy out of the 2010 Pokerstars.com Masters Snooker at Wembley
From start to the finish the match was characterised by stunning long pots and good breaks by both players, interspersed with clever safety and real drama towards the end.
Williams' very first break off shot left Murphy a long red and he made 57 from it, before surprisingly missing the black from its spot. Williams responded with 43 but Murphy got back in to take the frame.
Murphy was again first in amongst the balls in the second frame, but he missed a red with the rest on 42 and that let in Williams to construct a classy 76 to level the match.
In the third it was the Welshman's turn to get in first after Murphy missed a long red attempt by a wide margin. WIlliams made 53 before taking his eye off the ball and missing a very easy pink to centre. He got away with that error as Murphy miscalculated an attempted plant and left Williams in to add a further run of 56.
It was Williams all the way in the fourth as he plundered a break of 76 to take a 3-1 interval lead.
Williams' good safety forced two fouls from Murphy in the fifth and from the resulting opening he made 62 to go further ahead.
Murphy bounced back in characteristic style, punching in a brilliant 100 break to end Williams' run of four frames.
In the seventh it was again astutely laid snookers that got Murphy in trouble. Williams didn't make any big breaks but from the chances left he accumulated enough to take the frame.
Williams got in first in the eighth frame but lost position with only 30 on the board. Murphy then missed the reds twice, eliciting a warning from Jan Verhaas. But he contrived not to leave Williams a red on with his third attempt.
It was a rare safety error by Williams that let Murphy in to score 57, which included a brilliant long blue followed by an equally good long pink to keep the break going, and close his arrears to 5-3.
A thumping long red by Murphy, which would have left the lot on for Williams had he missed, gave him the opening to make a 97 break, which ended when he failed to get position on the final red.
By now the tension was mounting but you would't have thought it to see the red that Williams rifled in to start frame ten. It was vintage Williams and he made 63 from it before running safe. Murphy fluked a red on a safety shot but he missed a red on 27 and that gave Williams the chance to put frame and match out of Murphy's reach.
Williams goes through to face Ronnie O'Sullivan in a mouth-watering semi final on Saturday.
The twice former Masters Champion was pleased with his performance saying after the match "I've always been confident in my ability and the way I play that's why I'm still playing the game.
"I'm going to be playing the best player in the world in the second biggest tournament, I'm over the moon. We both played well and it was a good game.
"I made a lot of long pots and big breaks. He [Murphy] made a great break to go 5-3. Then I made a 63 looking to get on the black and a red popped out and it doesn't go. I went back to my chair and wanted to chew my glass!
"The big arenas, the best players, it's what we play for. I know what I'm capable of and looking forward to a good game."
