Mark Williams

I did something like this on Ronnie O'Sullivan last year, and I'm going to resurrect this for another one of my favourites, Mark Williams.

A lot is being written at the moment about Mark Williams' ability when under the pressure. It is factual to say that he has lost four matches over the past year, four matches that he should have won. So it is not unfair to pull out the question marks.

Whatever about that, I don't think Williams can't prove people wrong. Indeed, the fact that he is reaching finals at all, considering the fact that just a few seasons ago, he was struggling at 47th in the provisional world rankings.

Williams is a great player. I'm a relative newcomer to snooker in comparison to more on here, but since I started watching snooker in 1999, Williams has been one of the very finest players I've seen. I would place him third, and would without hesitation include him in a distinct group with John Higgins and Ronnie O'Sullivan. While he may trail the other two in my personal opinion, he is by no means the poor relation.

I would hate for Williams' career to peter out, and his legacy have question marks attached to it on account of losing some games he should have won.

2002/03 was as close to a perfect season as you can get. Williams once held the four major titles at once, a distinction that only Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis can lay claim to. I think it's a great pity that he let his career slide for a few years after that, I can understand that he wanted to put his family first, but I feel us fans were robbed of some quality moments from a great player.

I've always enjoyed watching him play the game, it's very distinctive in that he may not possess an obvious prowess in the positional department, but neutralises that with the greatest potting I've seen from any player. His 2005 147 at the Crucible is my favourite maximum, as it highlights everything you need to know about Williams' game in a single break, with the exception of his underrated safety game. At the 2003 World Championship, he was nearly flawless in taking the title.

All in all, Mark Williams is definitely one of the reasons I fell in love with this game, and I hope new fans can appreciate how good a player he has been. Because he was pretty bucking scary at his best.

ill Tell you what thats the most Animated snake hissed off ive ever seen Williams after a final and his interview backed that up.

but he wont let it bother him next time hes in a tournament or a Final all players can do is put themselves in a position to win Mark Williams has done that consistently over the Last year and so has Mark Selby

Williams 4 Ranking Finals and Selby 3 Ranking Finals now i can think of 13 of the Top 16 that would die for their Record.

if they continue to have that Record of Reaching Finals they will be Winning a fair amount over the next few years.

Mark Williams is a champion his record speaks for itself players miss pots it just happens other players miss pots or "bottle it" before Reaching a Final.

I think it must be getting to him, which says something.

Losing to Higgins in the UK, is certainly no disgrace. And you can look at him bottling it, or you can look at it as him pushing that season's world champion closer then anybody will ever do without winning. However, he's lost two finals since then, and both very close matches.

The fact that Mark Williams is known for his laid-back attitude, and abilities to shake off losses, this attack on the referee was out of character to say the least. Is he beginning to let the losses get to him? If so, that might affect him more.