By Dan Warren BBC Sport at The Crucible

Williams has been back to his best in Sheffield

While no-one seriously thought Mark Williams was past it, there were suggestions at the start of Embassy World Championships that the Welshman's very best days were, perhaps, behind him.

The Cardiff left-hander was only fourth favourite to regain the crown he took in 2000, and had seen his previous two Crucible visits end disastrously with unexpected second round exits.

This year, it is a very different story.

Williams has been playing mightily impressive snooker, and quietly re-writing the record books along the way.

A 13-frame winning streak - the best in Crucible history - saw him overpower bewildered Australian Quinten Hann in the second round.

And his authoritative display in beating friend Stephen Hendry in the quarter-finals - coupled with Ronnie O'Sullivan's first-round exit - has taken him back to the top of the world rankings.

He is only the second player to bounce back to the top, fellow Welshman Ray Reardon being the other man to regain number one spot in 1982-83.

And with all due respect to "Dracula", there was no O'Sullivan, no Peter Ebdon, no John Higgins, no Ken Doherty and no Hendry in his day.

But Williams says he never doubted he could return to the pinnacle of the game.

"It means a lot to me," he said.

"I have been practising really hard for the last 12 months to get back to number one.

"It was my aim, and now I've actually done it it's a great achievement for me.

My aim is to get even better than I was Mark Williams Williams eases through

"With the standard of the game nowadays, I feel quite proud that I've done it in this era."

Williams has the bookies running scared, with the odds on him winning shortening as quickly as he compiles the centuries.

But the Welshman is by no means complacent.

"I don't think I'm playing better than when I won the world title," he insists.

"Maybe I'm back to the same level, but I know I can play a lot better again."

And ominously for anyone who fancies winning in Sheffield - or knocking him off the top of the rankings list - he adds: "My aim is to get even better than I was."