Summary

  • Wales' Mark Williams wins third world title at age 43

  • Williams beats John Higgins 18-16 in classic final

  • Oldest champion since 45-year-old Ray Reardon in 1978

  • As promised attends news conference naked apart from a towel

  • Williams won his other world titles in 2000 and 2003

Live Reporting

Michael Emons

  1. Get Involved #bbcsnooker

    Frame 31: John Higgins 15-16 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    Dave Bundy: Looks like we are in for another long night in the final. Who's expecting a respotted black in the last frame!

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  2. Williams back in front

    Frame 31: John Higgins 15-16 Mark Williams (0-74, Williams 41 and 33)

    Mark Williams maintains his record of never falling behind in this final with a much, much needed frame to move two from the title.

    Five in a row for Higgins, but Williams ends that sequence.

  3. Frame 31: John Higgins 15-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    Meanwhile, in a galaxy not far, far away.. Mark Williams is back at the table and looking to win his first frame of the evening. He is 56-0 up.

  5. Frame 31: John Higgins 15-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    Another half-chance which is not converted. Mark Williams misses a red into the middle after a break of 41. That is four times in five frames a frame-winning chance has ended in the 40s or 50s. 0-41

  6. Frame 31: John Higgins 15-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    First chance for Williams in the 31st frame. How badly he needs this one. Remember, at no stage in this final has he been losing.

  7. 'What a performance from Higgins'

    Frame 31: John Higgins 15-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    Steve Davis
    Six-time world champion on BBC Two

    It's as awesome a performance as I've ever seen. I think he's the greatest match player there's ever been. He's like a lump of granite.

    Mark Williams hasn't really folded but he was five frames in front and all of a sudden he's level. He still looks pretty calm but how can he be?

    HigginsAFP

  8. Frame 31 John Higgins 15-15 Mark Williams

    Just a few words on Higgins' form. Since falling 14-7 behind, he has made breaks of 67, 72, 80, 131, 67, 82, 47 and 62. Great stuff.

  9. Frame 31: John Higgins 15-15 Mark Williams

    Which player can keep their nerve to win a world title again?

  10. We are all square

    Frame 30: John Higgins 15-15 Mark Williams (67-47 Higgins 62, Williams 47)

    For only the second time in this match, we are all square. It was 7-7 after 14 frames, now it is 15-15 after 30 frames.

    Another one that got away for Williams. In his last four frames he has thrown away 58-1, 47-0 and 47-5 leads. Stunning from Higgins.

    This match, unbelievably, is now a best-of-five, first-to-three affair. Great drama. Hands up who thought it was all over?

  11. Frame 30: John Higgins 14-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    John Higgins now leads in frame 30.

  12. Did you know?

    Frame 30: John Higgins 14-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    Mark Williams' two previous world titles have been won by 18-16 margins in the finals - defeating fellow Welshman Matthew Stevens in 2000 and Ireland's Ken Doherty in 2003.

    Mark WilliamsGetty Images

  13. Get Involved #bbcsnooker

    Frame 30: John Higgins 14-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    Charles Powell: There's little to show the younger professional's breaking through, 8 out of the top 10 are over 30 years of age. Two over 40's in the final, it looks like the new tournaments are killing the kids?

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  14. Frame 30: John Higgins 14-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    Another frame Mark Williams will feel he should have wrapped up with a larger break. He misses on 47 and Higgins, who has come back from 58-1 and 47-0 down in two frames already tonight, comes to the table trailing 5-47.

  15. Get Involved #bbcsnooker

    Frame 30: John Higgins 14-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    Michael Curtis: It's been an entertaining championships this year and it will be sad to see it come to an end. It will always be one of the Great British crown jewel sporting events.

    Barry Rhodes (Mr D): Willo needs to take this frame and stop the rot, preferably in one visit.

  16. Frame 30: John Higgins 14-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    We just have a break in play, as Mark Williams cannot find the extension to his cue. He has to stretch instead over the table and loses a bit of position, but no real harm done.

  17. Frame 30: John Higgins 14-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    He hasn't missed many tonight, that is why it is a shock to see the pink not going into the middle pocket from John Higgins. Work for Williams to do though. 5-0

  18. Frame 30: John Higgins 14-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    First mistake of the last mini-session belongs to Mark Williams, who goes in-off. 4-0

  19. Frame 30: John Higgins 14-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    We are back under way. Sometime tonight we will have our champion. Who will it be?

  20. Did you know?

    Frame 29: John Higgins 14-15 Mark Williams (first to 18)

    In each of the past 12 finals there has been a winning margin of at least three frames. The last 18-16 was Shaun Murphy's win over Matthew Stevens in 2005 and the last time we had a final-frame decider was back in 2002 when Peter Ebdon beat Stephen Hendry 18-17.

    Other final-frame finals...

    • 1994: Stephen Hendry 18-17 Jimmy White
    • 1985: Dennis Taylor 18-17 Steve Davis
    • 1975: Ray Reardon 31-30 Eddie Charlton
    • 1965: John Pulman 37-36 Fred Davis

    Peter EbdonPA