Mark Williams again demonstrated that he is the comeback king of snooker as he won his first World Championship title by edging out fellow Welshman Matthew Stevens 18-16 in an enthralling final at the Crucible Theatre.
The world number one had trailed John Higgins 15-11 in the semi-finals before storming back in magnificent fashion to triumph 17-15 - and it was a similar scenario against 22-year-old Stevens.
Stevens, who had started the best-of-35 frame match as underdog, threatened to run away with his first world final when he led 13-7 midway through the afternoon session. But world number one Williams - the odds-on favourite - again battled back in tremendous fashion and a run of seven frames out of eight brought him back level at 14-14.
The tension became unbearable in the closing stages with both players clearly affected as they started to make a series of uncharacteristic errors. It became 15-15 and then 16-16 to effectively leave the £240,000 first prize and snooker's greatest honour to be decided by a best-of-three frame shoot-out.
Williams drew first blood with a run of 56 after Stevens had missed a red into the black pocket to put him one frame from the winning line. Twenty minutes later it was all over as breaks of 27 and 32 carried Williams to the title. It was a repeat of his UK Championship win over Stevens this season .
Williams - beaten by Hendry in last season's final - certainly adopted a more conservative approach and demonstrated a better shot selection yesterday than in the first half of the match. But when he got amongst the balls he also showed his deadly potting ability as he clawed back the lead of his gallant opponent.
Stevens paid the penalty for missing a cut into the blue pocket in the opening frame of the evening when on a break of 33 - and in stepped Williams with a decisive 77. It was Williams turn to suffer in the next after attempting a difficult red into the centre bag and a run of 77 from Stevens restored his two frame advantage.
But Williams was undeterred with a 36 and 39 sufficient to take frame 27 and he then put together a 67 in the next to bring himself level at 14-14. Stevens showed that he was still a force to be reckoned with and his 120 break in frame 29 was his fifth of the match. Williams was growing in strength, however, and he levelled matters in the next and then won a crucial 31st frame. Stevens put together a 52 break to lead 66-32 but then missed the penultimate red - and in stepped Williams with a crucial clearance to take the frame 70-66.
The next frame was riddled with errors before Stevens potted a crucial final green into its own pocket to set up that thrilling finale which went Williams way.
Williams, beaten by Stephen Hendry in last year's final, admitted afterwards that it had been a gruelling examination not just of his ability but his nerve and will to win.
"I got here last year, and the pressure told in the end. I was never in it," he said. "It looked like he Stevens was going to run away with it. But I managed to keep in there. In the last two matches I have been behind and come back, which is always nice. The crowd were fantastic - they always are here - and I look forward to coming back next year," added the 25-year-old left-hander from Cwm.
His compatriot Stevens, still only 22, looked set to become the youngest world champion since Hendry when he established a 13-7 lead.
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