All it took for Mark Williams to win his first Champion of Champions snooker tournament was to completely ignore the advice of Stephen Hendry.
Williams, a three-time world champion, saw a 5-0 lead cut to 5-4 by Xiao Guodong, but he’d eventually hold out for a 10-6 victory in Bolton.
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Closing out the year with a huge win will have proved plenty of doubters wrong, including one of the best to ever do it – Stephen Hendry.
Retired seven-time world champion Hendry had criticised Williams’ decision to change cues mid-season, something the Welshman couldn’t resist a dig about post-victory.
Speaking to ITV with the pundit in front of him, he said: “I had a new cue, which I knew I was going to struggle with, I knew I was going to lose two or three first-rounders.
“I wasn’t worried about that because I really like my new cue and I knew it would come good.
“I’ve been getting slated by a lot of people for changing cues, I’m not going to mention any names, Hendry, but it’s starting to come alright now and all of a sudden the cue is the best thing I’ve ever had in my hands.”
Williams will have taken some satisfaction in getting the dig out in the open, considering that Hendry didn’t exactly go easy on him back in September.
Speaking after Williams’ shock early exit at the British Open, the Scot said: “It was a very, very poor performance.
“He’s using a new cue. I hope he was paid nicely because it’s going to derail his season. It’s going to take him a bit of getting used to.
“It sounded horrific and his play was horrific. It was very, very bad.”
Responding to the claims, Williams wrote on social media: “Derail his season? What a t**, my season is already made.”
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The Welshman then went in further on the radio, referencing Hendry’s failed comeback in 2020.
“It’s easy in the commentary box isn’t it?” he commented. “We’ve seen his comeback, how that ended up, so he can’t really say too much about my tip can he?
“Perhaps he should use one, might play a bit better.”
However, and claims that there’s a ‘war of words’ between the two was quickly put to bed by Hendry later on.
Discussing their relationship, he said: “He’s my hero, I have to say it.
“He is my best mate on tour as well, but what he’s doing at almost 50, how he’s playing and the way he plays with not a care in the world it’s just incredible, I love it.”
