Williams Advances to Champion of Champions Final, Will Face Xiao

Mark Williams has reached the Champion of Champions final for the first time. Williams secured a convincing 6-2 victory over Neil Robertson, thereby setting up a Champion of Champions final encounter against Xiao Guodong in Bolton. The three-time world champion, Williams, established a 4-0 lead in the best-of-11 semi-final. Robertson subsequently responded by achieving a break of 78 to win the fifth frame. A superb clearance of 132 from the Welshman Williams restored his four-frame lead, before Robertson compiled a 68 to win frame seven. However, the Australian player could not initiate a comeback, with Williams sealing his victory in the following frame with a break of 66. Williams is set to face China’s Xiao in the best-of-19 final on Sunday, starting at 13:00 GMT. The winner of the final will be awarded £150,000. Xiao earned his place in the final by defeating Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, and the 2023 champion Mark Allen.