SNOOKER: The red Ferrari was parked outside Citywest. That meant the world number one Mark Williams was in the house, from Johnny Watterson at Citywest hotel
Just back from wins in the last two tour events, the China Open and Thailand Masters, Williams, who was 27 yesterday, was anything but revved up for his quarter-final match against Peter Ebdon, which he lost 6-4.
The defeat continues the dismal form Williams has shown in Ireland, having won just once in five years.
Typical to form, the Welshman convincingly shrugged off the loss and in a manner most unlike that of any number one player in any sport, suggesting that he was just as pleased now to be able spend more time on the golf course than he did on the snooker table.
"I've never done well here. I brought my golf clubs with me. Now I'm going to enjoy myself. Even if I'd beaten Peter I was never going to win the tournament. I just wasn't.
"I can't grumble. I hadn't practiced before I came here. I hadn't time. I've won my fair share in the last few weeks. It doesn't really bother me."
The casual acceptance of defeat is Williams' trade mark and, although out of sorts, he still gave Ebdon a few menacing moments.
Trailing 4-1, Williams fought back to 5-4. But he was unable to match the consistent big breaks of Ebdon, who hit two centuries and a 93, Williams' highest was a 69 in the ninth frame.
"He made me sweat a bit," said Ebdon, who now plays in Saturday's semi-final. "Mark is a great number one. This is a very good win for me. I'm really enjoying the conditions. the table is fantastic.I said that before but they are absolutely flying and that seems to suit me. They (tables) are a pleasure to play on."
World number seven Ebdon lost in the first round of the China Open and at the second round of the Thailand Masters, putting both exits down to the humid conditions overseas.
"If anyone was questioning my form overseas they needn't have worried. It was just that the moisture was leaking out of my cue because of the heat out there. It was so sticky during matches that I thought the cue had been sabotaged by Mr Kipling!"
Ebdon's delight was evident as he struck a clenched fist in the air as Williams leapt the hoarding dividing the players from the audience.
But the 10th frame could easily have turned the match as Ebdon, 58-4 ahead and pushing for home, missed a red on a safety shot to let Williams back to the table.
But despite his dangerous ability with the cue, all the disinterested Williams could muster was 29, Ebdon gratefully returning to score seven and take the frame 65-29.
In the other quarter-final match between Ireland's Ken Doherty and England's Stephen Lee, Doherty led 4-3 in the 11-frame match in a fractured and dogged battle.
Doherty struggled to find consistency and was often scrapping hard simply to put away frames that he should have been winning with ease.
Lee took the first frame 59-51 before Doherty answered with two in succession for a 2-1 lead.
But Lee responded by keeping Doherty in his seat in the fourth with a 90 break for 2-2.
A re-spotted black in the fifth gave Doherty the edge once more and a scrappy sixth took him to 4-2 before Lee again came back in the seventh to stay in the contest.
QUARTER-FINALS: P Ebdon bt M Williams 6-4 (63-46, 0-110, 51-77, 63-69, 0-118, 93-17, 22-19, 72-23, 70-11, 29-65).
TODAY: Quarter-finals (11 frames) 2.0: J Higgins (Scot) v S Hendry (Scot); 7.0 p.m.: J O'Sullivan (Eng) v M Stevens (Wales).
