Williams positive after booking final spot

Mark Williams, intent on reversing an alarming slide down snooker’s pecking order, today reached his first world ranking event quarter-final for 11 months.

The Welshman, who has slumped from 1st to 19th on the provisional world list over the past two seasons, turned a recent tide of mediocrity with a 5-1 second round victory over Nigel Bond in the Malta Cup.