"And it seems to work. Maybe this year though it was Plan C."

Yorkshireman Hunter became only the third player, along with Cliff Thorburn and Stephen Hendry, to have ever retained the Masters title.

"It's a great feeling," he said.

"People said I was in the easy half of the draw but there are no easy matches in a tournament like this.

"Besides I had never beaten Mark before this match - but there's no better place to put the record straight than in the final."

Hunter had played left-handed Williams six times with no luck.

But he won more frames in the one match than he had in the previous six.

"At 5-0 down I wasn't exactly favourite - but I just had to hang in there and try to make the most of the balls Mark left me.

"It was important to try and finish the afternoon session not too far behind - so I was delighted to be only 5-3 down."

Williams admitted his current trend of losing in finals was turning into a worrying habit.