Williams Praises Emerging Welsh Talents After Hard-Fought Win in Wuhan

Welsh snooker great Mark Williams secured a 5-3 victory against 19-year-old Liam Davies in the Wuhan Open on Monday, surviving a late rally from the former European Under-21 champion.

Williams opened in dominant fashion, compiling three consecutive century breaks—125, 100, and 137—to take a 3-0 lead. He extended his advantage to 4-0 by the mid-session interval. After the break, Davies mounted a spirited comeback, winning three frames in a row with breaks of 61 and 94 to narrow Williams’ lead to 4-3. However, the experienced Williams sealed the match with a 70 break in the eighth frame.

“He never gave up and produced some excellent breaks,” said Williams, currently ranked world number five. “Both Liam and Jackson Page are as talented as many of China’s young players. It’s encouraging to see Welsh youngsters who can challenge the Chinese dominance.”

Williams, who turned 50 this year, admitted that while his form remains strong, it lacks consistency. “I’m still enjoying my game and giving my best, though my level does dip occasionally,” he added.

In other matches, Barry Hawkins edged Jamie Jones 5-4 in a decider decided by a superb long green followed by a well-controlled brown. Hawkins has now played five final-frame matches in his last eight outings.

Defending champion Xiao Guodong opened his campaign impressively with a 5-0 win over Mink Nutcharut, including a maximum 147 break. World champion Zhao Xintong also advanced, defeating Iulian Boiko 5-3 despite missing a clear opportunity for a 147.

Judd Trump eased past Farakh Ajaib 5-1, while Mark Selby defeated Michael Holt 5-2 to set up a meeting with David Gilbert.