Mark Williams

Date of Birth: 21 Mar 1975
Lives: Ebbw Vales, Wales
World Ranking: 1
Last Season in PLS: Fifth
Best PLS Performance: Runner-up in 2000, 2003 and 2005
Turned Pro: 1992
Ranking Tournament Victories: 18 - Welsh Open 1996, 1999; Grand Prix 1996, 2000; British Open 1997; Irish Open 1998; Thailand Masters 1999, 2000, 2002; UK Championship 1999, 2002; World Championship 2000, 2003; China Open 2002, 2006, 2010; LG Cup 2003; German Masters 2011
High Tournament Break: 147 – World Championship 2005, PTC series 2010

Having won most major titles during a highly successful career, Mark Williams is still chasing that elusive first Premier League title, having come close on three occasions in the past.

2011 may represent his best chance yet as he is back in the event after he completing a remarkable rise back up the ranking list by finishing the 2010/11 season at No 1 in the world.

At one stage in late 2007 he fell as low as 47th on the provisional list, but his return to form must be considered one of the most spectacular in snooker history.

His 2010/11 season was highlighted by victory in the new German Masters, achieved with a 9-7 defeat of Mark Selby in the final in Berlin watched by a packed house of nearly 2,500 fans.

"I'm really happy with that win, it was a nerve-wracking experience, both in front of that unbelievable crowd," he said after winning his 18th ranking event in all and eighth overseas. "I think I get into a good mindset ahead of the overseas events, I know I'll have a long flight and lots of travelling and that doesn't affect me - and crucially I adapt to whatever conditions I find quickly."

The Welshman also reached the final of the 12BET.com UK Championship and looked set for the title when he led John Higgins 9-5, only for his opponent to fight back and win 10-9. And it was Higgins who proved his nemesis again at the Betfred.com World Championship, this time at the semi-final stage. Again Williams led 9-5, but could not pull away and Higgins recovered to win 17-14.

Williams also won the first ever Players Tour Championship event - beating Stephen Maguire 4-0 in the final, during a very successful season. The previous season had seen Williams win his first ranking title in four years, beating Ding Junhui 10-6 in the final of the China Open.

Known for his awesome single-ball potting and exceptional touch, Williams first ruled the Crucible in 2000 when he became the only left-hander to win the world title.

He came from 13-7 down to beat fellow Welshman Matthew Stevens 18-16. His second world title followed three years later when he beat Ken Doherty by the same scoreline in another close final. That completed an incredible hat-trick of snooker's biggest titles as earlier that season he had won the UK Championship and the Masters.

He has won the Masters twice and his first Wembley crown came in dramatic circumstances in 1999 as the final against Hendry went down to a respotted black, Williams potting it to a baulk corner after Hendry had missed a chance to a centre pocket.

Williams made the first competitive 147 of his career in a match against Rob Milkins at Sheffield in 2005 - and that was handy timing as it scooped him a £161,000 bonus. He became the fifth player to make a maximum at the Crucible.

In 2004, Williams was awarded the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. "It is a tremendous honour for me, for Wales and for the game of snooker," he said.

In his teenage years, Williams was a keen boxer and won several fights before being on the wrong end of a thumping from an older, heavier boy which curtailed his brief career in the ring. His hobbies include playing golf and five-a-side football as well as driving exotic sports cars and motorbikes. He and wife Joanne have sons called Connor, born in 2004, and Kian, born in 2007.