Crucible latest: Williams reaches quarter-finals

The World No 2, who has been a Crucible winner twice, led Jamie Cope 7-1 overnight in their second-round match in Sheffield.

But 25-year-old Cope, the World No 15 from Stoke who has never been beyond this stage of the tournament, opened up with a determined 96 and only missed out on the second frame of the morning when Williams fluked a red.

The Welshman then edged a scrappy affair if frame 11 to lead 9-2 in their best-of-25 frames encounter, before a 61 break saw him win the next and enter the mid-session break needing just three more frames to win with a session to spare.

Back-to-back centuries left Williams at 12-2, needing to win one of the final two frames of the second session to clinch a one-sided victory.

But Cope rfused to wilt, grabbing both frames to trail 12-4 and mean both players must return this evening to conclude their match.

Resuming their match at 7pm, Williams wasted no time in finishing the contest at 13-4.

Meanwhile, Graeme Dott and Ali Carter are locked at 8-8, Barry Hwkings lead Mark Allen 5-5, while Judd Trump has an 11-5 advantage over Martin Gould.