Mark Williams produced a surreal Saturday night surge to fight back and beat Shaun Murphy for a place in the English Open final and the Welsh veteran now tackles Ali Carter in the title match in Brentwood.
Williams looked set to pack his bags as he trailed Murphy 5-1 in their semi-final but he found some momentum and the Magician wobbled late in the game allowing the Welsh Potting Machine to fire his way to a 45th ranking event final.
Carter is the home favourite in Essex and he showed that at 47 years young he can still compete with the best as he dismissed Ding Junhui 6-2 in the last four.
Ali Carter v Mark Williams Tips Summary
Best Bet – Mark Williams to win 8/11
Alternative Bet – Over 2.5 Match Centuries @ 11/10
Alternative Bet – Over 14.5 Frames @ 4/6
Ali Carter v Mark Williams Prediction
Best Bet: Mark Williams to win 8/11
The remarkable Williams produced an all-time fightback to send Murphy packing. He trailed 4-0 at the interval and was 5-1 behind soon after and seemingly bound for the exit.
At 5-2, the contest was at Murphy's mercy but he missed a routine black from the spot when leading 61-5 and within a couple of pots of the winning line. Williams compiled a gutsy break of 69 to steal the frame on the black and the momentum duly shifted.
He came through deciding frames in his first two matches in Brentwood and beat Barry Hawkins before winning an all-Welsh clash with Liam Davies in the last eight.
Carter has come through a trio of Chinese challenges, beating Chenzhi Gong and Zhou Yuelong before his clash with Ding on Saturday.
The Captain has enjoyed the easier route to this final, and Zhou in particular will look back on their quarter-final with regret as it was at his mercy. The now sometimes enigmatic Ding failed to pot a ball in the last four frames of their semi-final.
Facing Williams in his current mood will be much more demanding and the three-time World Champion can take the title in Brentwood.
Alternative Bet: Over 2.5 Match Centuries @ 11/10
Carter knocked in a high-break of 119 against Ding in the last four, his second century in Brentwood this week.
Williams had nothing higher than 82 against Murphy, but he compiled six half-centuries in a consistent second half of that match.
The most recent meeting between this pair was in Shanghai in July as Carter won the last four frames in a 6-5 success in a match that produced three centuries and three more breaks over 80. Between them they can match that century tally in the Brentwood decider.
Alternative Bet: Over 14.5 Frames @ 4/6
Ali Carter v Mark Williams H2H Record & Stats
Ali Carter Wins | 19 |
Mark Williams Wins | 20 |
Williams leads the head-to-head 20-19 but has not won a high-profile clash with Carter since the 2019 Players Championship
Carter beat Williams at the 2024 Masters and in this summer's Shanghai Masters, latterly coming from 5-2 behind to win 6-5 in China.
That clash in Shanghai in July featured three centuries; two from Carter (132 & 131) and a 124 from the Welshman
Three-time world champion Williams is playing his 45th ranking event final and can break his own record as snooker's oldest ranking champion, which he set aged 50 at the 2025 Xi'an Grand Prix, if he lands title number 28.
Carter is playing in his 15th ranking event final, going for a seventh title
The Captain is currently ranked 25th in the world but would re-join the elite top 16 with victory in Essex against Williams, ranked ninth in the latest standings.
Read more snooker betting tips and predictions on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
