Mark Williams tops Judd Trump to advance to final at World Snooker Championship

In a clash between two past titlewinners, Mark Williams of Wales defeated Judd Trump of England 17-14 in the semifinals at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, England, on Saturday, advancing to the final against China's Zhao Xintong.

The 50-year-old Williams found himself trailing 7-3 early, but then cut the deficit to 10-9, before clinching four of the next five frames with breaks of 73, 84, and 62 to lead 13-11 going into the evening session.

Breaks of 67 and 65 extended the Welshman's advantage to 15-11, but Trump responded his 106th century of the season to close the gap and book a mid-session interval. Williams replied with a century of his own before the break, however, leaving him one frame away from victory.

Trump kept the match alive by taking the 29th frame. Then in the 30th, Williams had a chance to seal the deal on a red to the middle, but was not able to convert the opportunity. Trump proceeded to clinch the frame with a clearance of 116.

England's World No. 1 could have pushed the battle into a 32nd frame after sinking a superb red in the middle, but followed up by missing on a difficult thin black. Williams exploited the opportunity to claim the frame with a clearance of 123 and finally end the match.

"I was starting to twitch towards the end, I'm not going to lie. I nearly missed the black in the last frame – I did feel a bit of tension on the back arm," Williams said. "I'm never normally nervous at any stage, but I was in that break. I can't believe I'm in another final – I don't know how I'm doing to be honest."

Williams, who won the title in 2000, 2003 and 2018, became the oldest World Championship finalist, and will meet 28-year-old Zhao in his fifth decider at the Crucible Theatre on Sunday.