Mark Williams can count on emotional support in his attempt to win the Regal Welsh Open for the third time at the Cardiff International Arena this week.

This event provided him with the first of his 10 world ranking titles in Newport in 1996 and it was three years ago that he overcame Stephen Hendry 9-8 on the final pink to win it again.

The 26 year-old left-hander, though, has not won a ranking title for 15 months.

Towards the end of last season, he looked burnt out from incessant practice and competition and he was slow to regain his edge in the current campaign.

Surprises in store

Victory over Hendry from four down and five to play in their UK quarter-final at York last month provided a timely and massive boost to his morale.

He lost 9-6 to Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semis but the outcome rested on the odd ball here or there.

The result could easily be reversed if they again meet in this week's semi-finals although it must be said that, these days, O'Sullivan's best appears to be better than anyone else's.

The seedings envisage that the other semi-final will be between Ken Doherty, the defending champion, and John Higgins.

Higgins will be attempting to get back into the highly productive groove in which he won the first three events of the season.

Sponsorship ending

However, surprises are notoriously common in the best of nines of the earlier rounds prior to the best of 17 semi-finals and final.

The Regal Welsh Open is the fifth of the season's nine world ranking events and carries prize money of �597,200, which includes �82,500 for the winner.

BBC Wales and the sponsors, Regal, continue their 10-year associations with the tournament but 2003 will be Regal's last year because tobacco sponsorship of snooker, except for the Embassy World Championship, must then cease by government decree.