World Championship 2025: Mark Williams digs in to draw level with Judd Trump after two sessions of Crucible semi-final

After the drama of Ronnie O'Sullivan being blown away by Zhao Xintong earlier in the day, Mark Williams and Judd Trump restored some order with some hard snooker in the second session of their semi-final at the Crucible on Friday afternoon. Watch and stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+

Mark Williams won the final two frames of the second session as he drew level with Judd Trump at 8-8 in their World Championship semi-final.

Trump picked off the opening two frames of the session, on the back of two the previous evening, as he threatened to run away with the contest.

But Williams steeled himself to win three in a row and took the final two frames to ensure the match was all square ahead of the third session on Saturday morning.

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The match will play to a finish on Saturday evening, with a spot in the final at the Crucible on the line.

There was an inauspicious start to the afternoon for Williams, who saw his first shot of the session go in-off - and Trump cashed in with a break of 52. It did not secure the frame, but he got in again a short while later and picked off a run of 70 to take the ninth.

Williams was in trouble at the start of the 10th but potted his way out of it by draining a long red down the left rail.

'One way to get yourself out of a hole' - Williams sinks superb pot and lays snooker against Trump

Video credit: TNT Sports

A clever snooker followed to craft a chance, and Williams looked good in racing through a 58, but he missed a black and looked away in disbelief.

Trump was handed a chance he did not expect, but took full advantage as a counter of 65 saw him extend his lead to four frames.

There was another worrying miss from Williams in the 11th, when a brown did not drop to the yellow pocket, but he got a reprieve when Trump missed a black to the left middle.

Williams did not pass up the invitation, as he crafted the 84th century of his Crucible career to get on the board in the afternoon.

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After looking shaky at the start of the session, Williams followed the 105 in frame 11 with an excellent 84 in the 12th to ensure the mini-session was shared.

'Dramatic shot' - Williams flukes blue but break ends as he stops brown with his hand

Video credit: TNT Sports

Williams made a rapid start following the interval with a couple of superb pots, but he missed a tough black to invite a counter from Trump. It looked good for the world No. 1 until an unfortunate flick off the pink left him with no shot on a red. 

A superb safety from Williams earned him a second chance, and he picked off the balls required to take the 13th and get back within one frame of Trump.

The table turned extremely scrappy in the 14th frame, but Trump showed his shot-making prowess on a host of occasions. He found a three-ball plant to keep a break going and also knocked in three doubles, and it all contributed to him getting over the line to stop the Williams charge and restore his two-frame cushion.

'He keeps knocking them in' - Trump sinks excellent double against Williams

Video credit: TNT Sports

The 15th was not played at warp speed, but what it lacked in pizzazz, it made up for in drama.

Williams got in off a good red and looked excellent in compiling a break of 47, but he missed a red to the right corner - in the same spot he missed on a couple of occasions earlier in the session.

The three-time world champion is not often animated at the table, but he trudged back to his seat after slapping his hand on his cue in apparent frustration.

'He's absolutely fuming' - Williams hits cue in frustration after missing a pot

Video credit: TNT Sports

Trump had a chance to counter and worked his way back into the frame, but could not close it out, and the Crucible crowd were treated to an engrossing safety battle.

The telling shot came from Williams, who got the cue ball behind the black. Trump’s escape left only a half-chance, but Williams potted a superb brown to the left corner and picked off blue and pink to get back within one.

When the two met at this stage of the competition three years ago, Williams ended the second session 11-5 down after a torrid start to the match.

Going into the final two sessions, Williams ensured he would be on level terms as he crafted a break of 96 to take the 16th.

The two will return on Saturday morning for session three of four, with the action live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

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