"So mark . . . ?" went the first tentative approach to Mark Williams, currently the provisional number one player in the world. Williams had just prematurely departed from the Benson and Hedges Irish Masters after losing 6-4 to fifth-ranked John Parrott yesterday afternoon.
"Absolutely amazed. Can't believe it. I'm garbage, absolute garbage," replied the Welsh man. "I was appalling. Can't believe I'm number one. That means everyone I play might be worse than me . . . but I'm looking forward to coming back next year."
"Possibly as official world number one then?" ventured a journalist.
"Yeah. Frightening. Absolutely frightening isn't it."
Williams's unprompted tongue-in-cheek confession certainly disarmed his inquisitors. But the candid admission that he was substantially off his game yesterday, hardly explains how the talented left hander has not won a match since he started coming to Goffs three years ago.
Certainly a lack of disipline and an unusually erratic performance allowed Parrott in to play a solid game, which in the end was enough to take him through to Saturday's semi-final against Stephen Hendry. The key frame was the eight as Parrott led 43. Williams was 41-9 up and looking comfortable on the table. But a badly executed shot left the black on the jaws of a corner pocket allowing Parrott back to the table. The 1991 finalist duly cleared with a 58 break for 5-3 and a two frame lead. Given his form Williams was never likely to recover. And he didn't.
"I saw 66-1 for me to win the World Championship," said Parrott. "It hurt me. It was an insult and to be honest annoyed me," he said.
"He's (Williams) been giving me a thumping recently, which he's being doing to a lot of players and he's provisionally world number one because he's the best player. I played him in Malta and he beat me 5-1 but that was burglary," added Parrott, who has ensured himself at least £15,000.
Parrott has played in Goffs every year since 1989 but has yet to win the tournament. Stephen Hendry, meanwhile inexorably moved another step towards the final with a 6-2 win over compatriot John McManus and faces Parrott in the semi-final on Saturday. The current title holder and number one seed firstly took a two frame lead for 3-1 thanks to McManus going in off the blue at 13, allowing Hendry in for an 88 break and the frame.
McManus, not playing that badly and cannily executing his safety shots, was again victim to a Hendry fluke in the sixth game which gave the champion a 4-2 lead. A long red missed by Hendry rolled up the table and fell into the pocket to give Hendry the momentum for a 55 clearance.
It wasn't all luck for Hendry, who was ruthless to a point but was unable to finish off his opponent when in control. Playing well when he really need to, an 88 break in the seventh frame left McManus trailing 5-2 and looking for a grandstand finish, which didn't materialise, Hendry also took the final frame 64-1.
"I would say I could have been a lot more focused. I missed some easy balls due to concentration but in the end it was a good victory," said Hendry.
Quarter-Final (11 Frames): J Parrott (Eng) beat M Williams (Wal) 63: (73-2), (60-72), (78-32), (50-70), (70-17), (94-11), (34-58), (67-48) S Hendry (Scot) beat J McManus (Scot) 6-2 : (94-0), (60-72), (72-13), (85-13), (29-99), (78-28), (64-1)
