Ken Doherty: Trump Has The Edge Over Williams

The Snooker World Championship is already down to the semi-final stage, and we have a mouthwatering tussle between Judd Trump and Mark Williams to look forward to.

Ken Doherty knows what it takes to win the big one at The Crucible, and the 1997 champion has been keeping The Panel up to date on the action in Sheffield.

Here, the Irish snooker legend gives us his thoughts on the semi-final showdown between Trump and Williams.

Trump A Big Favourite

Williams, a three-time World Champion, came out on top in a titanic tussle with John Higgins to make it to the last four, but Ken thinks the Welshman will struggle against the impressive Trump.

“He [Williams] is going to be up against it," Ken told The Panel. 

"I don't fancy him to be honest. I think Trump is a big favourite in the semi-final with the way he's playing, his scoring power, he's knocking in centuries. 

"He’s already had a record number of centuries this season, and he's beaten Neil Robertson's record of 103. He's got 104 or 105 now.

“The way he came back against Luca Brecel. Brecel went 7-5 up, and Trump looked under real pressure. They had an interval, he came back out, it finished 8-8 and then won five-in-a-row in the evening session. 

"It was a brilliant session. I think Williams will be pushed hard to try to contain him. But if anybody can contain him, Williams has the craft, guile and experience to really push him. 

"But of the two players, you'd have to sort of favour Trump because of his long ball game. He's world number one, and he's been dominating the game for the last five or six seasons.

“But, he's only won one world title. Williams has three in the bag already, and that might be a defining factor. 

"At the moment, you'd have to slightly give Trump the edge.”

Trump Won't Rest On His Laurels

By scoring over 100 centuries this season, Trump received the massive prize of £100,000.

Despite that big payday, Doherty doesn't think it will stop the 2019 World Champion's focus.

"I don't think he is the type of player to rest on his laurels. He's got a wonderful appetite for success.

"Once that was done, it was banked. Then it’s, ‘let's move on’. 

"He wants to win his second world title, he wants to become a multiple winner of this World Championship.

“I think he is already regarded as one of the greats, because of what he's done in the game. 

"And he will continue to do so over the next five or six years - completely dominating, winning multiple championships, winning ranking tournaments and continuing to break records. 

"I have no doubt about that. But he'd like to bag another World Championship sooner rather than later. 

"I don't think he will relax. He is really sort of hungry for the second World Championship.”

Williams One Of The Greats

Williams may have recently reached a half century in life, but he continues to mix it with the younger players on the circuit.

Whether he wins the tournament or not, Doherty reckons he will still go down as one of the world's greats.

“Whether he wins it or not, he's still one of the greats - he's won it three times.

“Unfortunately, he beat me in one of those finals, in 2003, all those years ago. 

"He's still at the top of the game. It's an incredible career. He keeps saying that his eyesight is gone. 

"I tell you what, he's doing alright for someone who's sort of half-blind. 

“He should be considered as one of the greats. O’Sullivan, Higgins and him - the class of 92. 

"They are three greats without a shadow of a doubt.”