MARK WILLIAMS has torn into British Airways for charging him thousands to change his flight home from China.
The 50-year-old was due back from the Xi’an Grand Prix on Monday but a run to the final has forced him to change plans.
GettyMark Williams is in the final of the Xi’an Grand Prix[/caption]
Willo has guaranteed himself a £76,000 payday even if he loses – and he’ll take home £177,000 with a victory.
But he was fuming to learn that a decent chunk of that cash could be tied up in his journey home.
Williams wrote on X: “Nice airline @BritishAirways. 12k to change my flight from tomorrow to Wednesday, time to start flying with a different airline.
“WTF do they get the prices from?”
A Xi’an Grand Prix triumph would not only boost Williams’ bank balance, it would make him the oldest winner of a ranking tournament in snooker history.
Ray Reardon’s success over a young Jimmy White at the 1982 Professional Players Tournament, aged 50 years and 14 days, was the last time someone in their 50s got their hands on ranking silverware.
Yet Williams, who reached the milestone in March, is not interested in being written into the history books on this occasion.
Wales’ three-time world champion – who hit a high break of 129 in his 6-3 semi-final win over compatriot Daniel Wells – said: “Being the oldest? That’s not really a record, is it?
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“If I did manage to win it, Ronnie O’Sullivan or John Higgins will probably beat it in a few months’ time anyway.
“It’s nice to be in the final, and if I can win a tournament, it’d be great. It’s great that I’m still somehow doing it.
“If you’d given me the quarters before I came out, I’d have bitten your hand off. If you had given me the final, I’d have bitten your whole body off.”
Williams will face either Shaun Murphy or Gary Wilson in Monday’s final.
GettyWilliams is bidding to become the oldest winner of a ranking snooker tournament[/caption]
GettyDaniel Wells was well beaten by Williams in the semi-finals[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
