Mark Williams Forced to Withdraw from International Championship Due to Illness
Snooker star Mark Williams has been forced to pull out of the upcoming International Championship in Nanjing, China, after being struck down by a respiratory infection. The three-time world champion announced the news on social media, writing: “Man down. No International Championship for me. Respiratory infection. Another week then doing nothing. Champion of Champions next stop, fingers crossed.”
Williams’ absence comes as a major blow to the tournament, which gets underway on Sunday, November 2, live on TNT Sports and discovery+. His withdrawal means Anthony McGill receives a bye into the third round. The 49-year-old Welshman will now focus on recovering in time for the Champion of Champions event in Leicester, scheduled for November 10–16, where he is the defending champion.
The International Championship has also lost another top contender, Ali Carter, who has withdrawn for the second consecutive week after pulling out of the Northern Ireland Open for personal reasons. As a result, Aaron Hill progresses automatically into the last 32.
Despite the withdrawals, the field in Nanjing remains packed with talent. Judd Trump, runner-up in Belfast last week, is set to open his campaign against Dylan Emery, while newly crowned Northern Ireland Open champion Jack Lisowski will face Louis Heathcote on Monday.
Lisowski, who captured his first career ranking title in Belfast, hopes his breakthrough marks the beginning of a new chapter. He dedicated the victory to his late father and vowed to build on his success: “Before it was a bit of fun, but now I feel like I have to win for him,” he said.
As the snooker season rolls on, all eyes will be on whether Williams can recover in time to defend his Leicester crown next month.
