888.com world snooker championship 2007
Williams wants hat-trick!
Mark Williams may go about his remarkable achievements without the pomp and ceremony of some of his illustrious counterparts but don’t be fooled by the Welshman’s laid-back manner, he has his third world title firmly in his sights.
Cuefactor.com talks to one of the game’s greats about family, tattoos, motor-bikes and life in general as he prepares for the big one – the 888.com world championship.
With two world titles, an MBE and around four million pounds in prize money already banked, you have achieved more than even you possibly dreamed of as a youngster – but is the desire to succeed still there?
“Of course it is still there – I think when you have won at the highest level – anything less just isn’t acceptable?”
The 2006/07 season has been a bad one by your standards – is there a reason for that?
“Not really, I have never been one for making excuses – I guess I just haven’t performed well enough. Neil (Robertson) played really well against me at Wembley and it was great to fly to China to defend my title and have Jamie Cope play out of his skin.”
“I just haven’t got anything going – I pulled out of the Grand Prix in October with a hand injury and then lost to Hendry and that was it before Christmas.”
“Since then I have been working hard and playing OK in practise but not really finding that kind of form in the major tournaments.”
Confidence plays a big part in sport, commentators are talking about it all the time – what’s your take on confidence and where does it come from?
That’s a good question – if I knew where it came from I would go and order huge delivery straight away. Seriously, it just comes from results – when you are playing well everything goes right and when it goes wrong it bites you on the bum!”
“You just have to take the good with the bad and have plenty of things to occupy yourself and take your mind off it or yould go mad I think.”
Talking about occupying yourself – you have just bought a new bike, is that how you take your mind off it?
I have always had a bit of a passion for bikes. I used to ride a small 50cc back and fore to the club before I got a car.
Nowadays, it’s a bit more upmarket though?
“Yeah, I treated myself to a big chopper bike so a few of us just take off and hit the open road, sometimes I even forget I am a snooker player when I’m on it.
So does Mark Williams the biker have all the gear – tattoos and all?
“ I have a couple – I love them, I don’t know what it is but I seem to keep adding to them. I had my first one about ten years ago and have carried on. I just wish they didn’t hurt so much.”
So when you’re not biking and not snookering, what else keeps you busy?
“The family really, we have just had our second child, Kian was born five weeks ago and Connor is a handful. So just spending time with them is great – again another good way of switching off from the bad results – to Connor, I am just Dad – he knows I play snooker on the TV but he doesn’t judge me on winning and losing.
Does Connor have a cue – another Williams world champion in the making?
“He’s got his own little cue but I wouldn’t push him into it – if it’s what he wanted to do then I’d encourage him but that goes for anything not just snooker. “
Right on cue, in wanders a cute three-year-old wielding a huge pair of boxing gloves and throws a series of well-aimed rights and lefts at Dad’s head, with sound effects too.
So finally, how do you rate your chances at Sheffield this year?
I don’t really think about it too much – I try and prepare well by playing lots, which I have done. I know that if I play well I will be in with a shout. But that applies to most of the guys in the tournament. The Crucible used to be where one of the big names would be guaranteed to win, but those days are long gone.
Look at last year, Graeme has been around for years producing consistent results but no one expected him to do what he did. So anything can happen.
I am just looking forward to getting there – it is the best place to play snooker, and I know I have the game, if I can find it.
Joe Swail is a tough opponent – he beat me in the second round a few years ago and got to the semi-final a couple of times so I will be looking to get revenge for that – although history doesn’t really play a part, whoever plays the best on the day will win.”
