HAVING reached five previous World Championship semi-finals, you might think the experience would be old hat for Mark Williams but he promises number six will be the most special of them all, writes Luke Baker.

Williams’ resurgence has been one of the stories of the snooker season, the 43-year-old winning two ranking events, his first for six years, and now reaching a world semi-final for the first time since 2011.

The latter came courtesy of a relatively comfortable 13-8 victory over Ronnie O’Sullivan’s conqueror Ali Carter in the quarter-finals on Wednesday evening – the Cwm cueman converting a 9-7 lead heading into the final session, with breaks of 113 and 83 the highlight.

Another veteran, 39-year-old Barry Hawkins, now awaits in the best-of-33, last-four clash starting on Thursday.

And while Williams’ achievements already this season have been spectacular, securing two more wins to claim a third world title would top them all.

“I haven’t won it since 2003 and I honestly thought my days were up but the season I have had so far, then why not,” said Williams. “There’s only four players remaining and I’ve got as good a chance as anyone else left in it.

“I’m only two matches away, playing the best stuff I’ve played in donkey’s years and I’m confident and relaxed.

“It’s going to be special playing in the one-table set-up at the Crucible again.

“I’m going to enjoy this more than any other semi-final I’ve been in because the tour is getting stronger, the standard is going up and I’m getting older, so I’m not sure for how many more years I’ll be getting to semi-finals.

“I felt in control of myself all through the match against Ali. There wasn’t really one part of the match where I was concerned and thought ‘I’ve blown this’.

“It was a funny feeling – I never felt like I was going to lose for some reason.”

Hawkins and Williams haven’t played since the 2014 International Championship – where the Welshman won 6-2 – but the Kent cueman is something of a Crucible specialist.

He is in his fifth World Championship semi-final in six years and no player, even three-time world champion Mark Selby, has won more than the 18 matches at the venue that he has since 2013.

“I haven’t played Barry for three-and-a-half years but he produces his best stuff here, so it won’t be easy,” added Williams.

“But I don’t really care who I play, I just focus on myself. Some people might get a bit nervous but not me – I’m really looking forward to it.”

Watch the snooker World Championship LIVE on Eurosport and Eurosport Player with Colin Murray and analysis from Ronnie O’Sullivan, Jimmy White and Neal Foulds.