Mark Williams dumps underwear in bin during UK Championship clash

Mark Williams had to bin his underwear during his UK Championship defeat to Jamie Clarke after suffering from tummy trouble. The three-time world champion fell to a shock defeat in the first round of the tournament however he had to take two comfort breaks during the match after falling ill with what he believes to be food poisoning. 

Williams surprised the crowd in York after dropping his cue and running off to the toilet five minutes into the opening frame. Nature called again during the third frame and it appears his boxers did not come back with him when he made his reappearance. 

The Welshman had struggled into a 3-0 lead before his game fell apart amid his struggles with illness and the absence of his briefs. He won no more frames for the rest of the match to hand a 6-3 win to his fellow countryman Clarke. 

After the match, Williams admitted that he had been suffering from a bout of illness which he believed to be food poisoning. He also joked that he might have to go and fish his boxers out of a bin, suggesting that they had not made it through the match. 

“I have felt better playing a snooker match, I’ve got to be honest,” the 47-year-old told Eurosport. “Well, it must be. I mean, I went out there with a pair of boxers on, by frame three they were gone. That’s all I can say really.

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Mid-frame toilet breaks are not uncommon in snooker but rarely are they seen as early as five minutes into the match. The referee and his opponent Clarke saw the funny side however with the world No 49 praising Williams as one of his hero following his win. 

“Yeah, an all-time great and a hero of mine growing up,” he told Eurosport. “It was a really tough game.

“A bit of a shaky start, I was a bit nervous before the match started, but that second frame seemed to have settled me down quite well. And yeah, my heart is still pumping now.”