April 24th 2024.
Mark Williams, the renowned snooker player, was recently defeated by Si Jiahui in a nail-biting match on Tuesday. The 49-year-old Williams, who had been in fine form during the Tour Championship, was unable to maintain his momentum and lost 10-9 in the opening round. This loss has left him contemplating his future in the sport.
During the Tour Championship, Williams had hinted that this could potentially be his last event on ITV and continued to suggest that changes are on the horizon after his defeat at the Crucible. When asked if he would be returning next year, he replied, "I don't know. Who knows? I can't keep getting to venues, I'm turning 50 next year. I looked around and loved every minute of it. Whether I'll be back again, I don't know. Who knows?"
He also expressed the difficulties of constantly traveling and competing at his age, saying, "To keep getting back to these venues is hard and most of them you have to treat as though you're not going to get back." When asked about his future plans, Williams mentioned that he has no other plans besides playing three months of golf. He clarified that he is not retiring but wants to treat every tournament as if it could be his last.
Despite his uncertain future in snooker, Williams is determined to continue playing Chinese 8-Ball pool tournaments, which he has been participating in this season. He expressed his love for the game and his desire to see how good he can get at it. However, when asked if he has made a decision about next season, Williams replied, "No. There's no decision, only I will be playing snooker."
Despite his mixed feelings about his future in snooker, Williams had nothing but praise for the atmosphere at the Crucible, saying it cannot be replicated elsewhere. He admitted that it is not his favorite venue to play in, especially with the two-table set-up, but the electric atmosphere during the match was something he couldn't ignore. "Even though I lost, I loved every minute of it," he said. "It's been 20-30 years I've been coming here. It's a fabulous atmosphere and no other venue can create this."
When asked if his recent win against Ronnie O'Sullivan in the Tour Championship final may have impacted his decision about his future, Williams replied, "Look, playing O'Sullivan in the final of one of the major tournaments, there's no better feeling, especially to win in that final. You can't get a better feeling than that, unless you win here." He also mentioned that O'Sullivan's immense success can sometimes feel like an anti-climax, but he is still working hard for more.
The Welshman also expressed his sympathies towards fellow player Mark Selby, who is still considering retirement due to mental blockages that make snooker a miserable experience for him. "I can understand where he's coming from," Williams said. "It's a tough sport mentally and it can take a toll on you."
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