Zhao Xintong, trying to develop into the primary beginner and solely third qualifier to win World Snooker Championship at The Crucible, will take 11-6 lead into the second day of ultimate towards Mark Williams; Zhao wants seven extra frames to develop into first Chinese language world champion
Final Up to date: 04/05/25 11:15pm
Zhao Xintong leads Mark Williams 11-6 after the primary day of the World Snooker Championship remaining at The Crucible
Crucible qualifier Zhao Xintong will take a commanding 11-6 lead over Mark Williams into day two of the World Snooker Championship remaining however the latter’s spirited comeback in Sunday’s second session has saved the match alive.
Zhao, trying to develop into the primary Chinese language participant to win the World Championship, picked up the place he left off whereas thrashing Ronnie O’Sullivan 17-7 within the semi-finals as he opened up a 7-1 lead over Welsh veteran Williams within the afternoon.
Nonetheless, Williams – who defeated world No 1 Judd Trump within the final 4 and is now aiming to develop into the oldest snooker world champion on the age of fifty – edged the night’s play 5-4, successful the ultimate body of the evening on the final pink.
Nonetheless, Zhao wants solely seven extra frames to scoop the £500,000 high prize, a end result that might transfer him as much as eleventh within the rankings when he returns to the skilled circuit subsequent season after shedding his spot following a 20-month ban for breaching betting guidelines.
The 28-year-old can be the primary beginner to win in Sheffield and simply the third qualifier after Shaun Murphy in 2005 and the late Terry Griffiths in 1977.
Williams, in the meantime, should develop into the primary participant to beat a five-frame deficit in a single day in a world remaining if he’s so as to add a fourth Crucible crown to these he achieved in 2000, 2003 and 2018.
Mark Williams wants an enormous comeback to win a fourth world title
Zhao moved 3-0 up within the afternoon session, aided by a break of 77 within the opening body and a century within the subsequent, earlier than Williams stopped the rot earlier than the mid-session interval.
Zhao, although, swept the second half of the session, registering one other century and two additional breaks in extra of fifty, with Williams’ sole break of observe at that time a knock of 61 in a body he went on to lose.
Williams started the night with a frame-securing break of 86 and took the subsequent as properly, earlier than Zhao bounced again with successive frames of his personal, sinking breaks of 71 and 56 within the course of.
The sample continued with Williams taking the thirteenth and 14th frames and Zhao the 2 after that – the Chinese language snatching body 16 with a 71 break after Williams had scored 63 earlier than stalling.
However the Welshman ensured the deficit can be solely 5 frames heading into Monday, retaining hopes of a comeback for the ages.
Play will resume at 1pm in Sheffield, with the ultimate session to then begin at 7pm.
