Mark Williams makes even wilder naked promise if he wins World Snooker Championship

Mark Williams says he would happily go much further than his 2018 naked press conference, if it meant he could win the World Championship for a fourth time this year.

The 51-year-old has conquered the Crucible three times, most recently eight years ago when he beat John Higgins 18-16 in a classic final.

The match was one of the best finals ever played at the World Championship, but the press conference following it has proved just as memorable.

Williams, who hadn’t won the world title since 2003 and hadn’t even qualified for the Crucible in 2017, promised that he would do his press conference naked if he lifted the trophy.

He proved to be a man of his word as he walked into the press room in just a towel and then removed that when he sat down.

The Welshman made it to the final of last year’s World Championship, before he was beaten by Zhao Xintong, and says he would happily produce some much more public nudity to go one better this year.

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‘If someone said you could win the World Championship but you’ll have to run down the M4 from London to Cardiff naked, I’d do it,’ Williams told the BBC.

‘I’d do anything to try to get another one, but the chances are me, Ronnie [O’Sullivan] and John as the years go by one of us are less likely to win it.

‘Last year Ronnie lost in the semis and I lost in the final, so we’re still knocking around. Who knows?’

Williams became the oldest ever ranking event winner earlier this season, beating Shaun Murphy in the final of the Xi’an Grand Prix.

However, he is talking down his game ahead of the Crucible, fearing that he is developing the yips.

After defeat to Higgins at the recent Tour Championship, he told Channel 5: ‘It was a struggle. I enjoyed it, but every time I have to hit the ball below centre with a tiny bit of pace.

‘I think I might have the yips coming on because I just can’t play them any more. I’m jabbing and anything that needs a little bit of power, I’m frightened to death of it.

‘It was something I was fighting all the way through. Not even long. Mid-range with a bit of screw on it, I wasn’t getting anywhere near it. Jabbing. Like I said, I feel like I have the yips coming on.’

Speaking to the BBC, he said: ‘It’s a bit concerning. I’m like a paranoid mess at the minute, because I’m just thinking, I’m not going to screw it back, and I’m snatching. And yeah, it’s not great, but I need the practise to get out of it.

‘I’m not putting in enough work. I’m going to come in now and try and play most days until the World Championship just to try and get that timing back.’

The world number six begins his campaign on Saturday afternoon against Polish debutant Antoni Kowalski, the first player from his country ever to play at the Crucible.

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