MARK Williams hailed one of his finest clearances after booking a place in the Tour Championship quarter-finals from being ‘dead on my feet’.

The 49-year-old from Cwm edged out Tom Ford 10-9 in the competition in Manchester to set up a quarter-final with Judd Trump on Thursday (1pm start).

The Englishman looked favourite to progress when he won five frames out of six to set up a decider, knocking in breaks of 138, 133, 90 and 63 in the process.

However, three-time world champion Williams rallied in the 19th with a majestic clearance of 66 despite reds being in tricky positions then a awkward blue.

“I was dead on my feet for the last hour and three quarters, I was absolutely shattered,” said Williams, who has just returned from a trip to China.

“I thought it was all over. Where that clearance in the last frame came from I do not know. It was probably one of the best clearances I’ve done.

“The shot from blue to pink was very difficult but there was no way I was playing safe on any ball. It’s definitely one of my best.”

Leading 5-3 after the first session, 49-year-old Williams extended his advantage to 8-4 with top breaks of 112 and 88.

Ford stormed back to 8-7 with runs of 138, the highest break of the event so far, and 133. He had chances in frame 16 but Williams recovered to take it on a re-spotted black.

Ford then made 90 and 63 for 9-9, and seemed in control of the decider until his missed red, which proved crucial.

British Open champion in September, world number eight Williams is through to his fifth ranking quarter-final of the season.

“Tom was by far the better player, he made four centuries and didn’t win,” said Williams.

“He must have thought he had me, but I’m used to be being up against it. It shows where my game is at if I can play poorly but still win.”

Williams headed to Manchester after playing in the Joy Cup  World Heyball Masters Grand Finals, a Chinese 8-Ball event.

The Cwm potter made it to the last 32 of the pool tournament in Qinhuangdao when beaten by Zheng Yubo, one of the sport's greats.

Meanwhile, four-time world champion Mark Selby threatened to quit snooker after losing to Gary Wilson, who also described his winning performance as “embarrassing”.

Wilson sealed a 10-8 victory with a clearance of 105, but both players were scathing about their performance in Manchester.

“I mean I was pathetic really, from start to finish,” Selby told ITV4. “Probably one of the worst games I’ve played as a professional. Definitely up there for sure.

“If I carry on playing like that, then yeah, I won’t be enjoying it and I will be choosing a different career for sure.

“Neither of us played great in the second session, Gary played well on Monday and deserved his 5-3 lead. Today neither of us played great. I was like that all match. I deserved to lose.

“I will give the World Championship a go, but if I keep playing like that, I’m not going to carry on.”

The semi-finals are on Friday and Saturday with the final on Sunday with all matches the best of 19 frames.