WORLD number one and reigning Embassy world champion Mark Williams insists Ronnie O'Sullivan is the red-hot favourite to win the 2002 tournament and wreck his back-to-back title dreams.

Welshman Williams admits his crisis of confidence has left him praying his game comes together when the fortnight-long championship begins at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre this weekend.

The 26-year-old squares up to Scotland's Billy Snaddon ranked 24 in the world in the opening 19-frame first round match at 10am tomorrow.

William Hill list Gwent-based Williams as 3-1 favourite to become the only first-time champion to record successive Crucible triumphs but he has identified fourth seed O'Sullivan as the winner in waiting.

''If O'Sullivan turns up in the right frame of mind, I think he'll win the tournament,'' Williams says.

''I'm not saying I can't beat him because I think I can and know I can but he's the man to beat.''

Last year, Williams, who considered a career in boxing before turning pro in snooker in 1992, beat fellow Welshman Matthew Stevens in one of the most memorable finals ever played at the famous 930-capacity Crucible.

Having lost 18-11 to Scot Stephen Hendry in the 1999 final, Williams was again facing a runners-up spot as he trailed Stevens 13-7.

But he pulled off a miraculous comeback to triumph 18-16 and claim the £240,000 winner's cheque.

The prize money has been raised to a cool £250,000 for the 25th World Championship held at the Crucible, and Williams is determined to iron out his form blips and build a Hendry-like grip on the Embassy title.

He said: ''My form's not been that good and I've been lacking a bit of confidence, the same as a lot of top players."

Asked what problems he was addressing, Williams said: ''It's an all round thing. Everything's been lacking a bit and once you lose a bit of confidence it affects your whole game.

''It's going to be a tough match against Billy (Snaddon), but there are no easy matches any more. The standard is so high it wouldn't be that big a shock if I got beaten.

''But I'm looking forward to it (the tournament). I'm defending champion and hopefully I can overcome the nerves and start playing well.''

O'Sullivan faces a first round dual with Devon's Andy Hicks, who reached the last four on his World Championship debut in 1995 and beat six-times champion Davis in the final qualifying round to ruin his hopes of a Crucible return.

Essex-based O'Sullivan has never reached the World Championship final. If he is to break that record, he could have to overcome Williams along the way as the pair are both in the top half of the draw.

O'Sullivan said: ''I want to be world champion. Just to reach the final would be a thrill as there is so much top-class competition now.'