2018 World Championship

[Hal]

Mark has been so unlucky when going into the pack or just for a little nudge, almost never he finishes on a ball to continue the break .... it was same in the semifinal.

[crocodile]

I think these two early frames may already have decided this final. I don't see Williams losing from here.

Same here - I just noticed the current score and can't for the life of me see Higgi pulling this off now ....

[kligu]

This is vintage Williams and yes he can win this title in this very session!!!

I would not mind that because I have to finish correcting the (German) A levels until tomorrow morning. A Williams win with a session to spare would give me some hours of sleep tonight...

[cidermaster]

Agreed totally,as a contest this is heavily over,even though i am a Higgins fan in a wierd way i am enjoying this for i like Mark Williams as well.This is vintage Williams and yes he can win this title in this very session!!!

[JimMalone]

I think these two early frames may already have decided this final. I don't see Williams losing from here.

[cidermaster]

Williams is walking this final,he actually really has a chance to win it this afternoon!!! You can see body language from both players,Williams knows he has his Third title,Higgins knows he is in the ****.Well done the Welsh Potting Machine

[kibo]

Higgins has to win this afternoon's session if he wants to win this title,if it is shared i fancy Williams strongly and if it is lost then the title goes back to Wales without doubt.But i will stick my neck out and go for 6-2 to Higgins this afternoon with 2 more centuries for him.Though i am a Higgins fan i cannot help like Mark Williams and will also be pleased for him if he beats the Scot.

I like that its battle of champions as it means none will fret in the last sessions(like Kyren, Hawkins or Day), they have mental toughness and only if their form fails them they will screw it up most likely

[cidermaster]

Higgins has to win this afternoon's session if he wants to win this title,if it is shared i fancy Williams strongly and if it is lost then the title goes back to Wales without doubt.But i will stick my neck out and go for 6-2 to Higgins this afternoon with 2 more centuries for him.Though i am a Higgins fan i cannot help like Mark Williams and will also be pleased for him if he beats the Scot.

[blahblah01]

That would have been logical.

And what everybody would probably have expected from Higgins. To me it seems already over the course of the whole tournament that he is playing more aggressive than before. It was really noticeable against Trump, where he could have more dominated the match with good safeties, but chose to take on some risky shots, which could easily leave his opponent with good chances. I really think Higgins desperately wants this title and this leads to some unwise decisions. He puts himself under huge pressure and while his focus could turn into an advantage at the moment it seems that Williams' more laid back attitude benefits him.

Interesting theory re Higgins...

I would have laid up at distance ie behind Black, if on spot. It would have taken something special to hit the Red without plating the Brown.

What he played was was so obvious that it was naive?

[JimMalone]

I would have potted the last but one red, and tried to get the white somewhere nice and close in behind the brown, then just played a little roll up to the brown. That would have left Williams with all kinds of problems.

That would have been logical.

And what everybody would probably have expected from Higgins. To me it seems already over the course of the whole tournament that he is playing more aggressive than before. It was really noticeable against Trump, where he could have more dominated the match with good safeties, but chose to take on some risky shots, which could easily leave his opponent with good chances. I really think Higgins desperately wants this title and this leads to some unwise decisions. He puts himself under huge pressure and while his focus could turn into an advantage at the moment it seems that Williams' more laid back attitude benefits him.

[The Rook]

I would have potted the last but one red, and tried to get the white somewhere nice and close in behind the brown, then just played a little roll up to the brown. That would have left Williams with all kinds of problems.

Yes, that's precisely the sort of simple high percentage idea I would have expected Higgins to execute.

Even if it were theoretically possible to cannon the red without potting the brown it was still a very low percentage shot. A shot guaranteed to go wrong with a mm inaccuracy on a long range cannon and likely would not have left the remaining red pottable anyway. Terrible choice, and very unhiggins-like, but it was the amount of thought that John put into playing it well in advance that really surprised me, as often players make poor choices on the spur of the moment.

[tedisbill]

I was thinking the same but the way he slams in to the red it looks like he went for that instead of the cushion first. The slowmo replay showed there was a tiny gap between the red and brown so maybe he was thinking if he hit the red at the right spot he could make the brown bounce away off the left jaw and leave the red on but it went very wrong.

I would have potted the last but one red, and tried to get the white somewhere nice and close in behind the brown, then just played a little roll up to the brown. That would have left Williams with all kinds of problems.

[Odrl]

That was more like it tonight. They were still missing a few, especially from distance, but they both also made a couple of lovely breaks when given the chances. :smile:

It was a good response from Williams after Higgins had levelled the match. He doesn't look like cracking at the moment. :smile: Still, I expect Higgins to further raise his game tomorrow, so Williams will have to do the same. :smile:

[MrRottweiler]

I think he was after a bottom cushion first to split the pair. I hope

I was thinking the same but the way he slams in to the red it looks like he went for that instead of the cushion first. The slowmo replay showed there was a tiny gap between the red and brown so maybe he was thinking if he hit the red at the right spot he could make the brown bounce away off the left jaw and leave the red on but it went very wrong.

[The Rook]

I'm baffled why John chose that shot even thought it was almost certainly going to knock the brown in. It looked like he was banking on the brown jawing but that's still an undue risk which isn't his style. I hope he tightens up tomorrow and plays the percentages more.

That's probably the stupidest shot I've ever seen Higgins play, especially as he seemed to be planning it many shots in advance, so you can't even put it down to a momentary lapse.