Mark Williams (snooker player) facts for kids
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Williams at the 2015 German Masters
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| Born | 21 March 1975 Cwm, Gwent, Wales |
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| Sport country |  Wales |
| Professional | 1992–present |
| Highest ranking | 1 (May 2000 – May 2002, May 2003 – May 2004, May–September 2011) |
| Current ranking | 3 (as of 8 May 2018) |
| Tournament wins | |
| Ranking | 26 |
| Minor-ranking | 2 |
| World Champion |
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Mark James Williams is a famous Welsh professional snooker player. He was born on March 21, 1975. He is known for being a three-time World Champion, winning in 2000, 2003, and 2018. He has also been ranked the world number one player three times.
One of his biggest achievements was in the 2002–03 season. He won snooker's Triple Crown, which means he won the UK Championship, the Masters, and the World Championship all in the same season! Only two other players, Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry, had done this before him. Mark Williams is also the only player to have won all three versions of the professional world championship: the World Snooker Championship, the Six-red World Championship, and the World Seniors Championship.
Williams started playing professionally in 1992. He has won 26 major tournaments where players earn ranking points. He also won the Masters tournament twice. After his second World Championship win in 2003, his performance dipped for a while. But he made an amazing comeback, especially in the 2017–18 season, when he won his third world title. He continues to win titles even in his late forties, showing great skill and determination.
Mark Williams is often called "The Welsh Potting Machine" because he's really good at making long shots in snooker. He was the first left-handed player to win the World Championship. He has made over 600 century breaks (scoring 100 points or more in one turn) and three maximum breaks (scoring the highest possible 147 points). He has earned over £8 million in prize money! He is part of a famous group of players called the "Class of '92", who all became professional in the same year. The other two are Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins. Mark Williams is also in the World Snooker Tour Hall of Fame.
Contents
Mark Williams' Snooker Journey
Starting Out in Snooker
Mark Williams grew up in Cwm, a town in Wales. He started playing snooker when he was very young. He won his first junior competition at age eleven, which made him decide he wanted to be a snooker player. He made his first century break (scoring 100 points or more in one turn) when he was thirteen and his first maximum break (scoring the highest possible 147 points) by the time he was eighteen. When he was a teenager, he even worked a 12-hour shift in a coal mine, just like his father.
In 1991, Mark reached the final of a big junior event called the World Masters, but he lost to John Higgins. Later that year, he beat Higgins to win the British Under-16 title. Mark became a professional player in 1992, along with 172 other players. He quickly moved up the ranks, and within three years, he was among the top 16 players in the world.
First Big Wins
Mark won his first major tournament in January 1996, the Welsh Open. He beat John Parrott in the final. Later that year, he won the Grand Prix. In April 1997, he won the British Open, beating the legendary Stephen Hendry.
At the 1997 World Championship, he played against his coach, Terry Griffiths, and won a very close match. In February 1998, he won his first Masters title, again beating Stephen Hendry in a thrilling final that went down to the very last ball. He reached the semi-finals of the 1998 World Championship and the final of the 1999 World Championship, where he was runner-up to Hendry.
Becoming World Champion
The 1999–2000 season was fantastic for Mark Williams. He won both the UK Championship and his first World Championship. These wins, plus another title at the 2000 Thailand Masters, helped him become the world number one player for the first time. In the 2000 World Championship final, he made an incredible comeback from being far behind to win the title. He was the first left-handed player to win the World Championship at The Crucible.
In the 2000–01 season, he won the Grand Prix. He also reached the finals of two other big tournaments. Even though he didn't win as many titles, he stayed as the world number one. In the 2001–02 season, he won the 2002 China Open. However, he lost his world number one spot to Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Winning the Triple Crown
The 2002–03 season was truly special for Mark Williams. He won all three Triple Crown events: the 2002 UK Championship, the 2003 Masters, and the 2003 World Championship. This made him only the third player ever to win all three in one season! Because of these amazing results, he became the world number one again.
Before the 2003 World Championship, his snooker cue got damaged on a flight, which was a scary moment! But he got it fixed and went on to win the championship for the second time. He had a strong path to the final, beating many top players. In the final against Ken Doherty, he started with a big lead. Doherty fought back, but Mark kept his cool and won the last two frames to lift the trophy.
Ups and Downs
After his incredible 2003 season, Mark's form wasn't as consistent. He lost in the first round of some tournaments. In April 2005, at the World Championship, he made a maximum break (147 points) at the Crucible, which is a very rare and exciting achievement! He was the first Welsh player and only the fifth player ever to do this at the World Championship.
In March 2006, Mark won the China Open, his first ranking title in two and a half years. This helped him stay in the top 16 players. He also had a good run at the 2006 World Championship, reaching the quarter-finals where he played against Ronnie O'Sullivan. It was a close match, but O'Sullivan won.
The 2006–07 season was tough for Mark, as he lost early in many tournaments. He even lost 0–6 in the Masters. In 2008, he dropped out of the world's top 16, meaning he had to play in qualifying rounds for tournaments. He even thought about retiring, but decided to keep playing.
Comeback and More Wins
In the 2009–10 season, Mark broke his wrist in a fall, but he still played in tournaments! He started showing good form again and in April 2010, he won his first ranking tournament in four years, the China Open. He said he was "over the moon" to win again after working hard.
The 2010–11 season was another strong one. He won the first event of the new Players Tour Championship. He also reached the final of the 2010 UK Championship, but lost a very close match to John Higgins. In 2011, he won the German Masters. After this, he became the world number one again! He reached the semi-finals of the 2011 World Snooker Championship for the first time since 2003, but lost to Higgins.
In 2012–13, Mark's form dipped again, and he lost in the first round of several tournaments. He even said he was thinking about retirement again. He finished the season ranked 15th in the world.
Finding His Form Again
At the start of the 2013–14 season, Mark won the Rotterdam Open, a smaller tournament. However, he didn't reach any quarter-finals in the main ranking events that season. He even missed the main stage of the World Championship for the first time since 1996.
In the 2014–15 season, he reached the semi-finals of the 2014 International Championship, beating Ronnie O'Sullivan for the first time in 12 years! He also reached the semi-finals of his home tournament, the Welsh Open. In March 2015, he won the World Seniors Championship, even though he was only 39, because he would turn 40 that season.
In 2016, he reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship for the first time in five years. In 2017, he reached the final of the China Open, but lost a close match. He missed out on qualifying for the World Championship that year.
Third World Title and Beyond
After dropping out of the top 16 in 2017, Mark worked with a new coach to improve his game. He won the Six-red World Championship in September. Then, he won his first ranking title in six years, the 2017 Northern Ireland Open. This was a very emotional win for him.
In 2018, he won the 2018 German Masters. Then came the 2018 World Championship. He played incredibly well, reaching the final for the first time since 2003. In a thrilling final against John Higgins, Mark won 18–16 to claim his third world title! At 43 years old, he became the oldest winner since 1978. It was also 15 years since his last world title, showing an amazing comeback.
As the world champion, he won the World Open later in 2018, making another great comeback in the final. In 2019, he reached the final of the 2019 China Championship, but lost a very close match. He even joked that he "hates" snooker and would rather play golf, showing his relaxed personality.
In 2021, Mark won the 2021 WST Pro Series, his first title in three years. He also reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship.
Recent Successes
In August 2021, Mark won his 24th ranking title at the British Open. At the 2022 Masters, he reached the semi-finals in a very exciting match. He also reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Championship, making an incredible comeback from far behind to tie the match, but he lost in the final frame. He made 16 century breaks during that tournament, matching a record!
In 2023, he beat Ronnie O'Sullivan in the Masters for the first time in eight years and reached the final. In October 2023, he won the British Open again, becoming the second-oldest winner of a ranking event at that time. In December 2023, he played in a frame that became the highest-scoring frame in snooker history! In April 2024, he won the Tour Championship, beating O'Sullivan in the final.
In September 2024, Mark reached the final of the 2024 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, losing a very close match. In November, he won his first Champion of Champions title. In 2025, at 50 years old, he became the oldest player to reach the final of the World Championship, showing his incredible longevity in the sport.
Mark Williams' Playing Style
Mark Williams is known for his calm attitude and is considered one of the best players at making long shots in snooker. He has made over 600 century breaks in his career, which is a lot!
He has a unique way of playing sometimes, putting his cue directly under his body instead of using a rest (a special stick to help reach balls). He also sometimes plays shots with just one hand. Mark has said he practices these shots a lot and doesn't miss many. Interestingly, he is partially colour blind and sometimes finds it hard to tell the difference between red and brown balls.
His nickname, "The Welsh Potting Machine," perfectly describes his powerful and accurate potting skills. He has earned over £8 million in prize money throughout his career.
Mark Williams' Life Outside Snooker
Mark Williams is married to Joanne, and they have three sons: Connor, Kian, and Joel. He owns a snooker hall in Wales. Mark also enjoys playing poker and has even played in big poker tournaments. He is also a big fan of golf. He is good friends with retired snooker player Stephen Hendry and boxer Joe Calzaghe. In June 2004, Mark received an MBE honor, which is a special award from the King or Queen for his achievements.
Images for kids
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Mark Williams at the 2013 German Masters
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Mark Williams at the 2025 Masters
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