The 2006 World Snooker Star Dragon Woods Villa Cup China Open
tournament was concluded in Beijing yesterday evening when World
No.9 Mark Williams of the UK beat World No.6 John Higgins 9-8 in a
dramatic upset. This was Williams' first ranking title since the LG
Cup in 2003.
The seven-day tournament was held at the Beijing University
Students Gymnasium.
The best of 17 frames finals witnessed seesaw battles between
the 31-year-old left-handed Welshman and Higgins.
Higgins, aiming for his third title of the season, could have
held a 5-3 lead in the eighth frame had he not jumped the cue ball
over the black before Williams capitalized on this to make a 66 run
and leveled the game at 4-4.
This seesawing carried on until the game was leveled again at
8-8. But Williams' stamina and determination pulled him through to
grab victory with a 69-44 final frame score.
"This goes down as one of my best victories because it has been
such a long time since the last one. The last frame was very edgy,
the pressure was getting to the both of us. But I knocked in a good
green and that won me the match," Williams said.
"There was some good and bad snooker, both of us were throwing
ourselves at everything," Higgins said, adding: " I am disappointed
to lose the game, but I think it was an enjoyable match for the
Chinese people to watch."?