[ Featuring Nino Morro ]
(Applause)
REFEREE:
Thank you. Johnny Williams to break.
COMMENTATOR:
You can just feel the tension here in the room as we start the final frame of the championship. Three all; best of seven. Here we go.
This is their eighth meeting over the past two years, with Williams winning five of their last eight meetings, and in fact it s the second time they ve gone the distance. Williams winning 5:4 in the Scottish Open in December, and the same result in the Shanghai Masters back in 2018, missing a frame-winning black ball.
Ah, Chan tried to screw in off the cushion there. Now leaving the red open. Not looking happy after that shot. And Williams sets himself
REFEREE:
One.
COMMENTATOR:
So, the first chance falls to Williams, who will look to play quite conservatively, making sure not to separate the balls too much. Johnny there, assessing his options. I think it s the angle of the brown that s causing him to contemplate. Of course, he can t afford to slip up this early on.
Good shot. Appreciation from the crowd there, and, er, rightly deserved.
REFEREE:
Five.
COMMENTATOR:
Williams now looking for position on the black. That pink might cause some difficulty later on. He may have to let that ball run here.
Ooh, it s got the weight, but it s running a little fast. Just too much top causing it to run on a wee bit. Er, he s a little too close to the green. Going for the black. Good shot.
REFEREE:
Thirteen.
COMMENTATOR:
It looks like it could be an early bath for this game, if he carries on playing like this. Now looking for position on the pink if he can pot this red. It looks fairly straight.
REFEREE:
Fourteen.
COMMENTATOR:
Lovely shot, just nestles the cue ball close to the pack of reds and has a straight shot on the pink.
REFEREE:
Twenty.
COMMENTATOR:
Williams had a break of 87 in the last frame, but an error allowing Chan back into the game to clear up and take it to this tie-break frame. Chan will be hoping for the same here. Straight in. William s trademark grimace there.
REFEREE:
Twenty-one.
COMMENTATOR:
They used to call him Laughing Williams because of his dour demeanour. Going for the blue
REFEREE:
Twenty-six.
COMMENTATOR:
He won two consecutive British Opens in 2018 and 2019, made the final of the German Open last year as well. A very, very experienced player indeed.
REFEREE:
Twenty-seven.
COMMENTATOR:
Yes, that s what Williams was after, and that s the development we re talking about. It s extremely, er, competent playing. Oh, now he s in a pickle: doesn t really want to play the canon; it s a bit too close. Ah, now looking to go the other way and play the brown.
REFEREE:
Thirty-one.
COMMENTATOR:
Ha ha! That s that s a smile, that s a smile, and in with the brown. He tried it in the first frame and it didn t come off as he expected, but hats off: great shot, great shot. Now he s got a very tricky one here, very tight angle on the red.
Ah
REFEREE:
Williams, thirty-two.
COMMENTATOR:
That that s not what he was expecting. Perhaps a bit of pressure mounting on the shoulders of the world number one. Chan back on his feet, looking a little uneasy about his choice. But a good chance here, slightly more open table.
REFEREE:
One.
COMMENTATOR:
In it goes. Good start. Simple red into the top left hand pocket. Just a few moments ago it was all so close, and now Chan has taken this game by the scruff of the neck.
