World Snooker Championship 2018: Mark Williams eyes 'unbelievable' world crown

Mark Williams says it would be "unbelievable" to become the oldest World Snooker Championship winner since fellow Welshman Ray Reardon took the crown in 1978.

Williams beat Ali Carter 13-8 to earn a semi-final against Barry Hawkins while John Higgins will face Kyren Wilson.

At 43, Williams would be two years younger than Reardon, who won the last of his six titles aged 45.

"It would be unbelievable," said two-time world champion Williams.

"I haven't won it since 2003 so I honestly thought my days were up.

"But the season I've had so far, then why not?

Ray Reardon was snooker's greatest player of the 1970s, winning the world title in 1970, 1973-76 and 1978

"There's only four left. I've got as good a chance as anyone else left in it and I'm sure the other three will be thinking the same."

Williams won the first of his world crowns in 2000, adding a second three years later and reached the last of his six semi-finals in 2011.

His 2018 semi-final starts at 19:00 BST on Thursday, 3 May.

"It's going to be special," he added.

"I'm going to enjoy this more than any other semi-final I've been in because the tour's getting stronger, the standard's going up.

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"I'm getting older so I don't know how many more years I'm going to be getting to semi-finals.

"I'm going to enjoy this one more than probably all the other ones I've been in.

"I'm playing some of the best stuff I've played in donkeys' years and I'm playing with a lot of confidence.

"I'm relaxed and I'm throwing frames away and I couldn't care less.

"I'm just getting on with it, forgetting about it like I used to back in the good old days."

'Never going to lose that match'

Mark Williams racked up the points against Ali Carter, close to twice as many in the event

Williams says he always felt in control as he broke for a 13-8 quarter-final win.

"It was a funny feeling - I never felt like I was ever going to lose that match for some reason," said Williams.

Hawkins beat the remaining tournament favourite Ding Junhui 13-5 and Williams says his semi-final opponent "produces his best stuff" at The Crucible.

"But I'm not really worried who I play," added Williams.

In the other quarter-finals John Higgins of Scotland beat Judd Trump 13-12 and Wilson saw off Northern Irishman Mark Allen 13-6.

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