'I don't know how I'm in the final' - Exasperated Mark Williams perplexed by his Xi'an Grand Prix run after Daniel Wells win

Three-time world champion Mark Williams became the first finalist at the 2025 Xi'an Grand Prix after a gruelling semi-final victory over Daniel Wells, but he was far from pleased with his own performance. "I don't know how I'm in the final," Williams told TNT Sports. "I've got to play a lot better against Shaun Murphy or Gary Wilson or else they are going to trample all over me."

Mark Williams launched a severe self-criticism after beating Daniel Wells at the Xi’an Grand Prix, saying "I don’t know how I’m in the final" and that his next opponent will "trample all over" him unless he improves.

The Welsh legend defeated his compatriot 6-3 to set up a clash with Shaun Murphy or Gary Wilson for the trophy in China after a marathon match where neither player made a break over 50 in the first six frames.

Three-time world champion Williams eventually pulled clear as a 129 century helped him to a hard-fought victory, but he was not pleased with himself when speaking after the match.

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"Glad to win today but apart from the one century break it was really tough out there," he said.

"I might look calm, but I can tell you that in some parts you don’t want to know what was going through my head, the words I was calling myself. I just struggled all match.

"Honestly, I don’t know how I’m in the final, because I haven’t played with any form at all to get to the final, let’s be honest. I played one good match against Barry (Hawkins), the rest have just been pretty poor.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

"I stuck in there, I scraped a few results, but can I do it once more? Probably not. I’ve got to play a lot better than that against Murphy or Gary or else they are just going to trample all over me.

"But I’m in the final, I’ll try my best. Who knows?"

Williams defeated Zhou Jinhao, Zhou Yuelong, Barry Hawkins and Lyu Haotian before knocking out Wells at the Qujiang Athletic Centre.

But he was left perplexed that he had got so far, having previously suffered defeats when playing at his best.

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"It’s mad, because I’ve played some unbelievable matches, played out of my skin with century after century, 90s, 80s, and lost 5-4 or 5-3," he said.

"But in this tournament, I don’t even look like making a break, but I’m still in the final. I’ll take winning like that while not playing very well than playing out of my skin and losing, for sure."

The 50-year-old is now on the brink of a record-breaking achievement, as victory in the final would make him the oldest major ranking event winner since fellow Welshman and six-time world champion Ray Reardon in 1982.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

But not even the prospect of a piece of snooker history would lift his mood after the semi-final win.

He said: "Being the oldest at something is not really a record, is it?

"If I did manage to win it, probably Ronnie (O’Sullivan) or John (Higgins) will beat it in a few months’ time anyway.

"It’s just nice to be in the final and if I can win a tournament, that would be great.

"To be honest, if you had given me the quarters before I came out here, I would have bitten your hand off. To be in the final, I’ll bite your whole body off."

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