Snooker Star's Sight Struggle
Veteran snooker champion Mark Williams is confronting increasing scepticism about his declared eyesight problems, firmly stating that his vision is not only poor but actively deteriorating. The 50-year-old Welshman, who recently became the oldest ranking event winner in history, faces doubts from fellow professionals who question how he can compete at the highest level if his eyes are as bad as he claims.
A Champion's Visual Challenges
Williams first spoke openly about his deteriorating eyesight during April's World Championship at the Crucible Theatre. After defeating Wu Yize in the first round, he revealed he was seeing three or four balls at once during play. He had attempted to use contact lenses but found them too difficult and uncomfortable for his eyes.
The snooker legend had originally booked lens replacement surgery for June 12, hoping the procedure would extend his career by another four or five years. He explained that his vision had significantly worsened over the preceding six months, forcing him to take action after putting it off for as long as possible.
In a remarkable turn of events, Williams then produced an outstanding performance at the World Championship, defeating top players including John Higgins and Judd Trump before eventually losing to Zhao Xintong in the final. His success continued when he beat Shaun Murphy in the Xi'an Grand Prix final, cementing his status as the oldest ranking event winner ever.
The Surgery Dilemma and Future Prospects
Despite his ongoing success, Williams maintains his eyesight continues to decline. 'They're getting worse every five, six months,' he stated. He has been working with Lee Walker on practice techniques to compensate for his vision problems, particularly when balls are close together and he cannot determine if a pot is possible.
Williams has postponed his surgery three times due to concerns about the operation's potential risks. He referenced former professional Anthony Hamilton, whose career ended prematurely after unsuccessful lens replacement surgery. Williams admitted being scared that a failed procedure could mean the end of his own career.
'I'm afraid to get it done,' Williams confessed. 'If I do it and it doesn't go well, that's the end of my career.' He has rescheduled the operation for January but remains hesitant, noting that despite his visual struggles, he continues to reach tournament latter stages and even won a title at age 50.
Addressing sceptics like Ali Carter, Neal Foulds, and Mark Selby who have suggested his eye problems are exaggerated, Williams responded with characteristic bluntness: 'Honestly, I couldn't give a s**t. I never worried about people questioning me.' He emphasised that he doesn't wear glasses daily for amusement.
Williams begins his UK Championship campaign against Dave Gilbert on Sunday evening, a tournament he hasn't won since 2002. He has only progressed past the quarter-finals once in the subsequent 23 years, attributing this record simply to the difficulty of winning against so many talented competitors.
