MARK WILLIAMS has jokingly thanked pal Lee Walker for ruining Ronnie O’Sullivan’s time on the baize. Willo, 49, has no qualms with his long-term friend and coach working with his rival on the Road to the Crucible. But the Rocket – who plays Jamie Clarke on Tuesday in the Welsh Open first round – has not exactly had a great start to 2025. Especially as the Class of 92 star damaged his equipment in a moment of rage and needs a new one for his next appearance.
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Asked what Walker could add to O’Sullivan’s game, Wales’ three-time world champion laughed: “Well, he’s doing well with Ronnie at the minute…. “Ronnie’s pulled out of the last five tournaments and snapped his cue. “It’s all a masterplan to get him out of the way!”. Williams hit three centuries – 101, 100 and 117 – as eliminated Austrian amateur Florian Nuessle from the Llandudno tournament.
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Yet the world No.5 says he only decided to play in the tournament the DAY before. He explained: “I decided on Sunday morning. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS. “A lot of convincing from Lee Walker. Sunday morning is when I really decided I was coming. “I was unsure all the way. My wife was saying I should go. “They are probably right to be honest. “Because it’s my home tournament. If I’m going to miss one, maybe I’ll miss a different one.
“I have missed a few events already this year. I’m not 100 per cent about Hong Kong yet. “Just see how it goes. Sometimes you need a break from this game.”. BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year. The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport. The first World Championships ran from 1927 - with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
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