Mark Williams is determined to ignore the retirement advice of good pal Stephen Hendry – after one of his best wins in years.
Former world champion Williams pulled off a shock 4-3 victory over world No.1 Neil Robertson to reach the last 16 of the Welsh Open.
And the 38-year-old Welshman, down to No.18 in the world, revealed the breakthrough came only days after Hendry gently suggested he pack it in.
“I had a chat with Stephen the other day, told him a couple of things and he had some advice,” Williams said.
“He said ‘There’s only one thing for you to do, it is six letters, begins in R, ends in E’, so you can work out what he meant. But I still think I have ranking titles in me, the last one was three years ago, but I know I have to work.
“This was an excellent win for me, one of the best I have had for a long time. Neil is world No.1 for a reason, he was different class out there for long periods.
“But I held myself together. He looked like a Rolls Royce in the balls, I was like an Austin Metro but I pulled off a good clearance to win.”
illiams now has his sights on an automatic spot for the World Championships in April.
He said: “It is a step towards getting into the top 16 before the cut-off for the World Championships,” he said.
“There are around five of us scrapping for places and it’ll be tight. I can’t think about winning this yet, but I’m in the last 16 and still going.”