Zhao Xintong holds five-frame overnight advantage in 2025 World Snooker Championship final

When the players return on Monday, Zhao will require a further seven frames to become the first Asian winner of professional snooker’s ultimate prize.

In the first all-left handed Crucible title decider, maiden finalist Zhao settled in nicely as breaks of 51 and 77 helped him take the opening frame, before an effort of exactly 100 in frame two doubled his lead.

There was a dramatic finish to frame three with both players missing the final black, and it was Chinese cueist Zhao who sank it to move 3-0 up, although Williams responded by opening his account when he won a scrappy fourth frame.

It was after the mid-session break when Zhao really established control of the tie, winning all four remaining frames of the afternoon session as three-time world champion Williams failed to build any sort of momentum.

A 57 assisted former world number six Zhao in frame five, while he ousted the sixth on the final pink. The two-time ranking event champion - who is competing in this year's blue riband event as an invited amateur - finished the afternoon in style with efforts of 104 and 83.

On resumption a few hours later, Williams needed a fast start - and he got it - as a break of 86 won him the first frame of the evening before he reduced his deficit to four by winning back-to-back frames for the first time in the contest.

However, Zhao did not panic, as he produced runs of 71 and 56 in rebuilding his six-frame buffer at 9-3 up.

The sequence repeated after another mid-session interval as Williams strung together two more frames (72 break, frame 14), but Zhao pushed his opponent back again with a 96 in frame 15, before producing a classy counter clearance of 71 to win frame 16 on the final black after Williams missed what was effectively frame ball red.

A crucial and engrossing final frame of the day ensued, and it was Williams who came from behind to win it on the colours.

That was a much needed boost for 50-year-old Williams, who actually claimed the evening session, 5-4, although he has plenty of work to do on Monday afternoon if he is to lift the trophy for the fourth time and become the sport’s oldest-ever world champion. Ronnie O’Sullivan currently holds that record when he triumphed in 2022 as a 46-year-old.

It wasn’t a flawless display from 28-year-old Zhao, but he can be very pleased with his day’s work, and how he responded to his experienced opponent coming back at him during the evening act.

There is still a long way to go, but the signs are looking good for Zhao; no player who has ended the opening day of a Crucible final on 11 frames has not gone on to win the title.

The biggest overnight advantage that has been overturned is 10-6 - Stephen Hendry and Shaun Murphy performed those comebacks in 1992 and 2005, respectively, while Williams also recovered from such arrears in 2000.

Please visit our 2025 World Snooker Championship tournament information centre here for details on the draw, results, format and order of play.