• Williams Making The Most Of Part Two

    Mark Williams is among the pre-tournament favourites to land his third Welsh Open title in front of his home fans this week after climbing back to number two in the rankings, just a couple of seasons since considering retirement.

    Few sportsmen reach the top again once the gold-dust begins to fade from their careers.

    That is why Mark Williams is making the most of his second opportunity, and not letting any criticism about his temperament get to him.

    Williams seemed as if his snooker career had taken an irreversible tumble when he slid down to number 47 on the provisional world rankings just a couple of years ago.

    He did just enough to avoid slipping out of the top 32, which was the catalyst for talks of quitting, but missed out on the top 16 place that meant anonymous qualifying matches just to be involved in the sports major tournaments after playing a leading role for over a decade.

    Williams openly admits his eye wandered off the snooker table when he dramatically dropped down the list.

    But it was, in fact, a blessing in disguise. It gave the 35-year-old the kick up the rear that he needed and now he is, incredibly, within sight of becoming the world number one again six years after he last held that title.

    The former double world champion said: "I went out of the 16 for a reason. Along with other things, I took my foot off the gas and didn't practice as hard as I should have done.

    "I'm practicing like normal now, as I have done for years. A lot of people will say since I had my first child that that is when my form really slumped.

    "I don't think it was that but when people keep telling you, they may have a point. So, when you get beaten in tournaments, you tend not to worry about it, not that I used to get worried about getting beaten anyway.

    "I am one of the best losers out there. If you lose, you have to congratulate the other player and walk off. If you want to smash a few other things up, which I've done, you do it without other people seeing it. You try not to show your emotions there by smashing your cue."

    He could easily been forgiven for wanting to smash things up in private after losing to John Higgins in the 12Bet.com UK Championship final last December. Williams led 9-5 with his opponent requiring a snooker on the yellow. Higgins got the snooker and roared back to seal a 10-9 victory.

    That would have left anyone shellshocked but Williams said he went back to his hotel, had a few beers and treated it like any other match - although the TV commentators didn't think he would.

    "They said I would be hurting for a long time," he added, "but what do they know? Some of them talk rubbish and were not good enough to win anything.

    "I was the same when I won the German Masters last week as I was after the UK."

    This is shows that Williams is taking everything in his stride these days. He has moved from his beloved Emporium Snooker Club in Bargoed, which had been like his second home since a youngster, to his own club, Tredegar Snooker Centre, that is lush, has high-quality, tight-pocketed tables and is frequented reguarly by amateurs, professionals and legends alike.

    Williams warmed-up for his crack at the newly-sponsored Wyldecrest Park Homes Welsh Open this week by practicing with Pontycymmer's Ryan Day, himself slowly returning to form after a disasterous opening of this season.

    But every so often, the two big-name pros would have to stop and allow the fellas on the table alongside them to play their shots.

    And, when one of those is none other than former UK and Mercantile Credit Classic champion Doug Mountjoy, who is back on the baize preparting for an appearance in the Legends Series in Newport this May, then even those to current professionals stand and watch in fascination.

    Mountjoy won the Mercantile and UK titles back-to-back as a 46-year-old in 1988 and 1989, making him the second oldest winner of a ranking title.

    Williams is just glad to get to finals now, and does not even think about the possiblity of going into the Betfred.com World Championship in April as world number one ahead of Higgins, which is a possiblity if things work out in Newport ahead of the third and final review of the rankings after the Welsh tournament.

    He added: "I know I haven't got that long left at the top with all the players coming through, probably two or three more years and I'll be on my way down again.

    "I've just got to make the most of it and do the best I can until then."