Mark Williams blows away ‘fourth son’ Jackson Page to reach last eight with session to spare at World Championship

Mark Williams blew away Jackson Page to reach the World Championship quarter-finals with a session to spare. The Welshman has been in blistering form so far at the Crucible and delivered another statement display to seal a 13-3 win over a man he considers a “fourth son”.

Ad/> After bulldozing his way to a 7-1 lead in the first session on Thursday, the three-time world champion continued his searing form with an immediate break of 110. World Championship‘Knock me off my perch’ – O’Sullivan’s message to those who want him to quit18/04/2022 AT 19:06 Jackson responded with a knock of 69 in the 10th frame – in normal circumstances enough to pinch a frame – but it was not enough to quell Williams, who managed to sneak it by a point to nudge further in front.

Any hopes of a fightback were now firmly extinguished and two breaks of 65 in the next saw Williams’ lead grow to nine and although Jackson belatedly got on the scoreboard again, the players headed to the interval in the knowledge Friday evening’s concluding session might not be required. Dominant O'Sullivan gets off to sublime start against Allen ‘Most extraordinary!’ – Allen agrees to re-rack to save referee brutal clear up /> Williams, now leading 10-2, had to win three of the remaining four frames to check-out early and duly set about his quest for a night off with knocks of 117 and 127 to take the next two frames.

Jackson, to his credit, posted a timely 63 break to add a glimmer of respectability to the score – but it only delayed the inevitable. Williams posted his 14th half-century break of the match to assert himself as the form player ahead of the tournament’s business end.