JOHN Higgins was compared to a Mexican boxer during the early stages of the Betfred World Snooker Championship final and will need to show all of that fighting spirit to overhaul Mark Williams and claim a fifth world title.
Fuelled by an unlikely diet of kebabs, sweets and chocolate, Williams raced into an early lead in the battle of the veterans and although Higgins fought back somewhat, he still trails 10-7 overnight – with 18 the target for victory on Monday.
Williams didn’t finish his gruelling semi-final with Barry Hawkins until almost midnight on Saturday, then tweeted at 2.15am that he was in a Sheffield kebab shop enjoying some doner meat and chips.
The eccentric Welshman also gladly accepted wine gums and Galaxy Minstrels from a fan during the early going of Sunday’s final as the world No.7 racked up a 4-0 lead at the Crucible Theatre.
As he has done throughout his storied career, the four-time world champion Scot determinedly fought back however, narrowing the gap to 5-3 at the end of the afternoon session.
A back-and-forth evening saw both men wrestle for the initiative but Williams takes an advantage into Sunday’s final two sessions after winning the last three frames of the evening.
Higgins and two-time world champion Williams have a storied history – both turning professional together 26 years ago – and another member of that ‘Class of ‘92’, Ronnie O’Sullivan, insists the many battles the trio went through from a young age has given them all an indomitable fighting spirit.
“We all pushed each other on to higher levels,” said five-time world champion O’Sullivan while commentating on the final for Eurosport.
“I’d see John win a tournament and it would make me practise harder. John would see Williams win a tournament and it would make him practise harder.
“We’re probably like the Mexican boxers – they grow up fighting each other, they’re tough boys. When me, John and Mark were growing up, we played a lot of junior tournaments and there was so much competition. It made us tough.
“This will be a great final as you’ve got two of the best players that are at the very top of their game – they are two true gladiators of our sport.”
Higgins, 42, and 43-year-old Williams have the highest combined age of any pair of finalists during the 41 years the tournament has been held at the Crucible, while the winner will be the oldest world champion since Ray Reardon in 1978.
It is a fitting conclusion to a season dominated by snooker’s golden oldies – the World Championship finalists have won four ranking events between them and 42-year-old O’Sullivan has added a single season record-equalling five.
Despite his late-night heroics and kebab run, Williams certainly didn’t look fatigued as he strode back to the table just 14 hours after edging past Hawkins 17-15.
The Welshman even had time to eat some of a front-row fan’s confectionery as he won the first four frames of the match, despite not scoring particularly heavily.
Trailing 4-0 at the mid-session interval was certainly not how Higgins wanted to start his seventh World Championship final but a classy break of 119 got him on the board.
Although Williams’ 95 in the next restored the four-frame cushion, the Scot knuckled down with gritty knocks of 52 and 59 to narrow the deficit to 5-3.
Higgins spurned three opportunities in the first frame of the evening and Williams compiled a 72 to take it but the Wishaw cueman made breaks of 51 and 124 to narrow the gap to one.
The veterans then split the next four frames – making a century apiece –but two-time world champion Williams crucially edged back to three ahead at 10-7 by making 64 in the penultimate frame of the evening before pinching the last when Higgins accidentally knocked the brown in.
The Scot has been candid in admitting that he feared last year’s World Championship final loss to Mark Selby was his last chance to lift a fifth title.
Instead he is right back in the showpiece and with Williams being his opponent, while victory would see him match O’Sullivan’s five world titles, he admits this final has added meaning.
“It is extra special facing Mark,” said Higgins. “Mark is going for a third title, I’m going for a fifth. It’s 18 years after he first won it and 20 years after I first won it.
“He’s bald and I’m grey now, so it is a brilliant final! It would be amazing to match Ronnie as well – he’s the best player ever in my eyes, so if I got to the same number of titles, it would be an incredible feeling.”
Watch the snooker World Championship LIVE on Eurosport and Eurosport Player with Colin Murray and analysis from Ronnie O’Sullivan, Jimmy White and Neal Foulds.
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