Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Mark Williams (snooker player)

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Mark Williams (snooker player) made an impact.

Mark Williams is a Welsh professional snooker player, renowned as a three-time World Champion (2000, 2003, 2018) and a former world number one. His career peaked in the 2002-03 season when he secured snooker's Triple Crown, winning the UK Championship, the Masters, and the World Championship, a feat only achieved by Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry before him. Notably, he's the sole player to have triumphed in all three professional World Championship versions: the World Snooker Championship, the Six-red World Championship, and the World Seniors Championship, solidifying his place as a snooker legend.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1978: Oldest winner since Ray Reardon in 1978

In 2018, at age 43, Mark Williams became the oldest World Champion since Ray Reardon, who won the title in 1978 at the age of 45.

January 1991: World Masters Junior Event Final

In January 1991, Mark Williams reached the final of the junior event at the World Masters, losing to John Higgins.

1992: Became a Professional Player

In 1992, Mark Williams became a professional snooker player.

1992: Turned Professional

In 1992, Mark Williams was one of 173 players who turned professional.

January 1996: Welsh Open Title

In January 1996, Mark Williams won the Welsh Open title, defeating John Parrott.

October 1996: Grand Prix Win

In October 1996, Mark Williams won the Grand Prix, defeating Euan Henderson.

1996: Absent from the main stage of the tournament since 1996

At the 2014 World Championship, Williams lost in qualifying and was absent from the main stage of the tournament for the first time since 1996. He ended the season as world number 18.

April 1997: British Open Win

In April 1997, Mark Williams won the British Open, defeating Stephen Hendry.

1997: Missed the World Championship Knockout Stage

In 2017, Mark Williams failed to qualify for the World Championship, marking only his second absence since his first appearance at the tournament in 1997.

February 1998: First Masters Title

In February 1998, Mark Williams won his first Masters title, defeating Stephen Hendry.

1998: Masters Tournament Win

In 1998, Mark Williams won the Masters tournament.

November 1999: UK Championship Win

In November 1999, Mark Williams won the UK Championship, defeating Matthew Stevens in the final.

1999: World Championship Runner-Up

In 1999, Mark Williams reached the final of the World Championship but lost to Stephen Hendry.

1999: UK Championship Win

In 1999, Mark Williams won the UK Championship.

May 2000: Ranked World Number One

In May 2000, Mark Williams was ranked the world number one snooker player for the first time.

2000: UK Championship and World Championship Wins

In 2000, Mark Williams had a successful season, winning both the UK Championship and the World Championship, which helped him secure the world number one position for the first time.

2000: Grand Prix Win and Runner-Up Finishes

In 2000, Mark Williams won the Grand Prix and was a runner-up in the UK Championship and China Open.

2000: 2015 World Championship loss

In 2015, Mark Williams faced Matthew Stevens in the first round of the World Championship, a rematch of their 2000 final, but Williams was heavily defeated.

2001: Title Defense at World Championship Ended

In 2001, Mark William's title defense at the World Championship ended in the second round.

May 2002: World Number One Ranking

In May 2002, Mark Williams continued to hold the world number one ranking in snooker.

2002: Second UK Championship Win

In 2002, Mark Williams won his second UK Championship.

2002: China Open Win and Ranking Loss

In 2002, Mark Williams won the China Open but lost the number one world ranking to Ronnie O'Sullivan.

May 2003: World Number One Ranking and Triple Crown

In May 2003, Mark Williams was ranked the world number one and had his most successful season after winning snooker's Triple Crown.

2003: Triple Crown Wins and World Championship Victory

In 2003, Mark Williams had an exceptional season, winning the Masters and the World Championship to complete the Triple Crown and reclaim the number one spot. Before the World Championship, he had a scare when his cue was damaged on a Ryanair flight.

2003: First Round Loss at UK Championship

In 2003, Mark Williams lost in the first round of the UK Championship, ending a long run of tournament wins.

2003: Second World Championship Title

In 2003, Mark Williams won his second World Championship title.

2003: Last semi-final appearance since 2003

In 2011, during the World Snooker Championship, Mark Williams reached the semi-final stage for the first time since 2003, marking a significant return to form after several years.

2003: 2015 Welsh Open semi-finals

In 2015, Mark Williams progressed to the semi-finals of the Welsh Open for the first time since 2003.

2003: Reached first World Championship final since 2003

In 2018, Mark Williams reached his first World Championship final since 2003, marking a significant return to form after several years.

February 2004: Unable to Defend Masters Title

In February 2004, Mark Williams was unable to defend his title at the Masters, losing in the quarter-finals.

May 2004: World Number One Ranking

In May 2004, Mark Williams continued to be ranked the world number one player.

April 2005: Maximum Break at World Championship

On April 20, 2005, at the World Championship, Mark Williams achieved a maximum break and won £161,000 in prize money, but then lost in the second round.

2005: Season Information

During the 2005-06 season, Mark Williams and his coach Terry Griffiths parted company.

March 2006: China Open Win

On March 26, 2006, Mark Williams won the China Open in Beijing, which helped him retain his top-16 place in the world rankings.

September 2006: Pot Black Trophy Win

In September 2006, Mark Williams won the Pot Black trophy and compiled a century break of 119, which was the highest break in the history of the tournament.

2006: Failed to reach a quarter-final

The 2013-14 season was poor in terms of ranking events, as he failed to reach a single quarter-final for the first time since 2006.

2007: Poor Season

2006-07 turned out to be one of the worst season of Mark Williams's career, as he lost his first match in a string of tournaments, including the 2007 Masters where he was whitewashed by Neil Robertson, and the 2007 World Championship where he lost to Joe Swail.

2007: UK Championship Quarter-Finals

At the 2007 UK Championship, Mark Williams showed some of his previous form, defeating Ricky Walden and Mark Allen before losing in the quarter-finals to Stephen Maguire.

2007: Dropped out of the Top 16

Following the 2007 season, Mark Williams dropped out of the top 16 snooker players.

July 2008: Split from Management Company

On July 8, 2008, it was announced that Mark Williams had split from his management company, 110 Sport.

2008: UK Championship Quarter-Finals

In 2008, Mark Williams reached the quarter-finals of the UK Championship, beating Selby and Graeme Dott.

2009: Wrist Injury and Grand Prix Semi-Finals

In 2009, Mark Williams broke his wrist and reached the semi-finals of the Grand Prix, losing to Ding Junhui.

2009: World Championship Loss

In 2009, Mark Williams qualified for the World Championship but lost to Stephen Hendry, hampered by cue tip problems.

2009: Regained Top 16 Place

In 2009, Mark Williams regained his place in the top 16 snooker players.

April 2010: Wins 2010 China Open

In April 2010, Mark Williams won the 2010 China Open, marking his first ranking tournament win in four years. He defeated Ding Junhui in the final with a score of 10‍–‍6, securing his 17th ranking event win and his third China Open title.

2010: Masters Quarter-Finals

At the 2010 Masters, Mark Williams won in the first round and progressed to the quarter-finals, despite being involved in a traffic accident the day before the match.

2010: Players Tour Championship and UK Championship

In 2010, Mark Williams began the 2010–11 season by winning the first event of the Players Tour Championship, defeating Maguire 4‍–‍0 in the final. He also competed in the 2010 Premier League, and reached the final of the 2010 UK Championship, ultimately losing to Higgins 9‍–‍10.

May 2011: World Number One Ranking

In May 2011, Mark Williams was ranked the world number one player again.

September 2011: End of World Number One Ranking

In September 2011, Mark Williams's tenure as the world number one player ended.

2011: Finals at Australian Goldfields Open and Shanghai Masters

In 2011, Mark Williams reached the final of the Australian Goldfields Open, losing 8‍–‍9 against Bingham. He also reached the final of the Shanghai Masters, losing 9‍–‍10 to Selby, after leading 9-7, and relinquished the world number one spot to Selby.

2011: German Masters Win

In 2011, Mark Williams won the German Masters tournament.

2011: Wins German Masters and becomes world number one

In 2011, Mark Williams won the German Masters, defeating Mark Selby 9‍–‍7 in the final. He also reached the semi-finals of the 2011 World Snooker Championship and became the new world number one after the event.

2012: Poor Performance in 2012

Due to his poor performance in 2012, Williams dropped 12 places in the rankings to world number 15 in 2013.

2012: Controversy and World Championship performance

In 2012, Mark Williams caused controversy with comments about the Crucible Theatre on Twitter and was later fined £4,000. He reached the second round of the 2012 World Snooker Championship, losing to O'Sullivan and was inducted into the World Snooker Tour Hall of Fame.

2012: 2012 German Masters

In 2012, Mark Williams reached the quarter-finals in his defence of the 2012 German Masters, where he lost 3‍–‍5 to Lee. He played in eleven of the twelve PTC events but did not make the Finals.

2012: Quarter-final at Shanghai Masters and contemplating retirement

In 2012, Mark Williams reached the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters losing to Trump. He then suffered a dip in form, and after a defeat in the UK Championship, he contemplated retirement.

2013: Non-ranking 2013 Masters

In 2013, Mark Williams beat Stevens in the non-ranking 2013 Masters before losing to Selby. He won his first match in a ranking event since September at the 2013 China Open, but lost in the quarter-finals. He also lost in the first round of the 2013 World Championship.

2013: Wins Rotterdam Open

In 2013, Mark Williams won the Rotterdam Open, marking his second title in a Players Tour Championship event.

2014: Absent from the main stage of the tournament since 1996

At the 2014 World Championship, Williams lost in qualifying and was absent from the main stage of the tournament for the first time since 1996. He ended the season as world number 18.

2014: International Championship

In 2014, Mark Williams reached the quarter-final of the International Championship, where he beat O'Sullivan for the first time in 12 years. He then lost in the semi-final against Mark Allen. He was also defeated in the third round of the 2014 UK Championship.

March 2015: Wins World Seniors Championship

In March 2015, despite being only 39 years old, Mark Williams won the World Seniors Championship, defeating Fergal O'Brien in the final.

2015: 2015 UK Championship

At the end of 2015, Mark Williams was knocked out in the second round of the UK Championship by Tom Ford.

2015: Reaches Players Championship Grand Final

In 2015, Mark Williams progressed to his first major ranking event final in more than three years at the Players Championship Grand Final but lost to Joe Perry. In a rematch of the 2000 final, he was defeated by Matthew Stevens in the first round of the 2015 World Championship.

2016: 2016 Northern Ireland Open

In 2016, Mark Williams beat John Higgins at the Northern Ireland Open, before losing to Kyren Wilson in the quarter-finals. He also reached the quarter-final at the 2016 UK Championship but was defeated by O'Sullivan.

2016: 2016 season

In 2016, Mark Williams was eliminated in the first round of the Masters and the fourth round of the Welsh Open. At the 2016 World Championship, he reached the quarter-finals for the first time in five years, but was defeated by Ding Junhui.

2017: 2017 China Open

In 2017, Mark Williams reached the final of the China Open but lost to Selby, missing out on his first ranking title for six years. He failed to qualify for the World Championship, marking only his second absence since 1997.

2017: Northern Ireland Open Victory

In 2017, Mark Williams secured his next ranking title victory at the Northern Ireland Open.

2017: Wins Six-red World Championship and Northern Ireland Open

In 2017, after teaming up with Lee Walker and Stephen Feeney to revive his career, Mark Williams won the Six-red World Championship and the Northern Ireland Open, marking his first ranking title in six years. It was an emotional win due to his wife's ill health.

2018: 2018 Masters and German Masters

In 2018, Mark Williams defeated Mark Selby at the Masters before losing in the quarter-finals. He won the German Masters, claiming a dominant 9‍–‍1 victory.

2018: Third World Championship Title

In 2018, Mark Williams won his third World Championship title.

2018: Wins 2018 World Championship

In 2018, Mark Williams won his third World Championship, defeating John Higgins in the final. Aged 43, he became the oldest winner since 1978. He thanked his late sponsor and his wife, and famously appeared naked at the press conference.

2018: Won the 2018 World Open

In 2018, as world champion, Mark Williams won the World Open after recovering from deficits in the quarter-final, semi-final, and final matches. At the 2018 UK Championship, he reached the last-16 round, losing after leading 4-0.

2018: Won German Masters and Third World Title

The 2017–18 season was successful for Mark Williams, who won the 2018 German Masters and his third World Championship title.

2019: 2019-20 Season and China Championship Final

In 2019, Mark Williams started the season ranked third worldwide and reached the semi-finals of the Six-red World Championship. He also reached the final of the 2019 China Championship, ultimately losing to Shaun Murphy after a deciding frame.

2019: 2019 Masters and World Championship

In 2019, at the Masters, Mark Williams lost to Neil Robertson. Also in 2019, his World Championship title defence ended in the second round with a loss to David Gilbert.

2020: 2020 Masters and World Championship Quarter-Finals

In 2020, Mark Williams lost in the first round of the Masters and admitted his career was at a "crossroads". He reached the quarter-finals of the 2020 World Championship, where he lost to O'Sullivan after leading 7-2.

August 2021: Won the 2021 British Open

In August 2021, Mark Williams won his 24th ranking title at the British Open, defeating Gary Wilson in the final.

2021: 2021 Masters, WST Pro Series Win, and World Championship Quarter-Finals

In 2021, Mark Williams lost in the first round of the Masters, but won the WST Pro Series for his first title in three years. He defeated Higgins in the second round of the 2021 World Championship, before losing in the quarter-finals. During the championship, a controversial safety shot by Williams led to discussions about a potential ban.

2022: UK Championship First Round Loss

At the end of 2022, Mark Williams lost in the first round of the UK Championship, reportedly feeling unwell during the match.

2022: 2022 Masters and World Championship Semi-Finals

In 2022, Mark Williams lost in the second round of the UK Championship. At the 2022 Masters, he lost in the semi-finals to Neil Robertson. Williams also reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Championship, losing to Judd Trump in a close match where he equalled the record for centuries in a single tournament.

October 2023: Won the 2023 British Open

In October 2023, Mark Williams won the British Open in Cheltenham, becoming the second-oldest winner of a ranking event at the time.

2023: 2023 Masters Final and World Championship Second Round Elimination

In 2023, Mark Williams beat Ronnie O'Sullivan for the first time in eight years at the Masters, reaching the final where he was defeated by Trump. He was later eliminated in the second round of the 2023 World Championship.

January 2024: 2024 Masters First Round Loss

In January 2024, Mark Williams lost in the first round of the Masters.

September 2024: Reached the final of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters

In September 2024, Mark Williams reached the final of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters but was defeated by Trump after missing a red while holding a significant lead.

March 2025: Tenth on All-Time List of Century Makers

As of March 2025, Mark Williams is tenth on the all-time list of century makers, having compiled more than 600 competitive centuries.

2025: Oldest Player to Reach World Championship Final and Ranking Event Winner

In 2025, Mark Williams became the oldest player to reach the final of the World Championship, aged 50, and also became the oldest winner of a ranking event at the Xi'an Grand Prix, aged 50 years and 206 days.

2025: Lost in the first round of the 2025 Masters

In 2025, Mark Williams lost 5-6 to Ding at the first stage of the Masters.

2025: Won the 2025 Xi'an Grand Prix, Oldest Ranking Event Winner

In 2025, Mark Williams won the Xi'an Grand Prix, becoming the oldest player ever to win a ranking event at 50 years and 206 days, surpassing Ray Reardon's previous record from 1982. Williams also became the first player to win professional titles in his teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s.

2025: Reached the Final of the World Championship at 50

In 2025, leading up to the World Championship, Mark Williams expressed concerns about his eyesight. Despite this, he advanced to the semi-finals, overcoming John Higgins. He then beat Trump to reach the final, becoming the oldest player to do so at 50, but ultimately lost to Zhao Xintong.