Three-time world champion Mark Williams has a very specific phobia. The Welshman, currently ranked number four in the world, is apparently terrified of teabags.
The phobia was revealed by BBC presenter Catrin Heledd during coverage of the Welsh Open. Williams said, ‘I can’t believe you said it live on air. I’m in trouble now.’
Hendry Confirms Williams’s Fear
Stephen Hendry has confirmed that Williams is not joking about his phobia. Hendry said Williams is being entirely genuine when it comes to his hatred of teabags.
‘Yeah, I have threatened him when we go and have a game of golf, I’ll have a couple in the bag when he’s ready to putt,’ Hendry said on WST’s Snooker Club podcast.
‘He said if I do it: “Be prepared, because I will punch you.”’
Hendry added: ‘It’s so weird and he’s deadly serious about it. Honestly he says: “If you ever do that, I will come for you. You can’t do that.”’
‘It’s the strangest thing ever. He doesn’t drink tea or coffee or any hot drinks. I don’t know where it’s come from.
‘I will do it one time, though. I will do it. Because the amount of things he does to me that I tell him not to do, the list is long.’
Williams’s Upcoming Schedule
Williams lost out to Barry Hawkins in the last 16 of the Welsh Open. He now has a couple of weeks off before his next action.
The Welsh great next plays at the World Open in Yushan on March 17, then he goes on to the Tour Championship in Manchester, the final stop on the road to Sheffield for the World Championship.
After making his Crucible debut in 1997, Williams will be making his 28th appearance at the famous venue in 2026.
Williams became the oldest ever winner of a ranking event this season when he won the Xi’an Grand Prix, beating Shaun Murphy in the final in October, having reached the World Championship final in May last year.
The Welsh Potting Machine is far more comfortable around the snooker table than the kitchen table as he cannot stand being near teabags.