Mark Williams commits snooker sin and referee makes incorrect call in crazy passage of play against Judd Trump at World Snooker Championship 2025

The opening session of the second semi-final at the World Championship between Judd Trump and Mark Williams was a slow burner. What we did get was a bit of drama in the second frame when Williams committed an odd foul and the referee followed up with an error of his own. Watch and stream the World Championship, live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+.

'He hit it about five times' - Williams commits wild foul against Trump

Video credit: TNT Sports

The early exchanges of the World Championship semi-final between Judd Trump and Mark Williams were low on quality, but there was plenty of drama on Thursday evening at the Crucible.

The two players could not be accused of being overawed by the occasion, given their records in the game, but free-flowing snooker was in short supply.

The Crucible crowd were treated to some entertainment, as Williams committed a crazy foul and referee Rob Spencer got himself in a muddle.

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The two moments of drama happened within seconds of each other, with the second frame seemingly going nowhere.

Trump eked out a 30-point advantage when he ran out of position and elected to roll into the pack. Williams had no incentive to open up the frame, so he was content to play some tippy-tappy snooker.

The Welshman has said his eyes are not what they used to be, but vision could not be put forward as an excuse as he took an air shot at a red, went again, only to keep his cue welded to the white and push it in the direction of its target.

"A massive push shot, that was, from Mark Williams," Dave Hendon said on commentary for TNT Sports. "He sort of guided the cue ball onto the red there."

After casting his eye over the replay, Neal Foulds added: "I think to say it was a double hit, he hit it about five times."

When the laughter in the audience died down, Spencer called a touching ball - which gave Trump the opportunity to play away from the pack and break the stalemate.

He did exactly that, but was startled to hear a call of "foul" from Spencer.

In the blink of an eye, Spencer corrected his mistake.

"Sorry, it was a touching ball, my mistake," said the official.

Once things got back on an even keel, Trump took the second frame to draw himself level in the match.

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