MARK Williams, the world's top-ranked snooker player, whose opening match in this year's Travis Perkins UK Championship ends tonight, is attempting to become the first player for seven years to successfully defend the title.

The first session of his second round best of 17 frames match against Irishman Fergal O'Brien in front of a packed audience at York's Barbican Centre started this afternoon, with the second eight frames cueing off at 7pm.

The last player to retain the UK title was Stephen Hendry in 1996, when he made it three in a row. And last Sunday snooker's super Scot took home the British Open trophy to show he's back in the frame for more success.

Williams has ruled the snooker circuit for the past year, during which he lifted the world crown at Sheffield, but suffered a setback in the British Open last week when losing 5-1 to fellow Welshman Matthew Stevens in the quarter-finals. He hopes that will prove to have been a temporary glitch in his quest for more glory.

He has already beaten O'Brien this month, knocking him out 5-2 in the second round in Brighton.

A key man behind the scenes for Williams is his coach Terry Griffiths, who the Cardiff ace is the first the praise.

"Terry is the best coach in the world. Being a former world champion he knows what he's talking about," said Williams. "He's been there and done it at the highest level.

"He sees things that might need working on with my game that I am not aware of when I am playing in matches.

"I am taking one match at a time. It is far harder to defend a title than to win it."

If it goes to form and Williams marches on, his third round match will be against Jimmy White, a crowd-puller if ever there was one. That will start at 1pm on Monday, with the second session on Tuesday afternoon.

The other match finishing tonight is the second round clash between Hendry and John Parrott. Hendry has settled in well with his new cue following the disaster with his old one which was smashed in transit on a trip abroad.

Parrott starts as the underdog but said after his first round win that he will "bash the balls around and see what happens."

Waiting in the wings to take on the winner of Hendry v Parrott is world number 17 Allister Carter, from Tiptree, who knocked out Steve Davis on Wednesday afternoon.

Updated: 12:10 Saturday, November 22, 2003