MARK WILLIAMS, sharp and hungry, overwhelmed Stephen Hendry, jaded by the extent of his own success, 9-2 to win the £60,000 first prize in the British Open in Plymouth on Saturday night.
The 22 year old Welshman's third world ranking title, puts him third in the provisional rankings with only the double value points from the World Championship to be added before the list receives its annual revision on May 6th.
Hendry is mathematically certain to retain his number - in the final for the first one position for a record eighth consecutive season. But his chances of a sixth successive world title and seventh in all must depend on how fully he can refresh his mind before his tough first round encounter with the world number, 18, Andy Hicks, on the opening day of the championship on April 19th.
"I should feel gutted but I don't," Henry said after losing eight consecutive frames from 2-1 up. "There's nothing left."
"I'm really surprised. I expected to beat him 9-1," Williams quipped before giving the result more serious consideration. "To beat the greatest player whose ever lifted a cue so heavily with so much at stake is unreal. But I don't think this result will matter if we meet at the Crucible.
