World Championship 2025: Mark Williams takes fight to Zhao Xintong as he wins evening session to cut gap to five frames in Crucible final

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The TNT Sports panel said Mark Williams had to make a strong start to the evening, and he did that by taking the opening two frames. But Zhao Xintong rolled with the punches before hitting back to secure a sizeable lead heading into Monday. Watch and stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+.

'That could not have worked out any better' - Williams sinks long red against Zhao

Video credit: TNT Sports

After being comprehensively outplayed in session one, Mark Williams breathed life into the World Championship final against Zhao Xintong.

Williams saw Zhao win seven of the eight frames on Sunday afternoon to take a stranglehold on the final.

Four-session matches offer up the prospect of ebbs and flows and that was the case on Sunday evening, as Williams upped his level to win the session 5-4 to cut the gap to 11-6.

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Session three takes place on Monday afternoon, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, with the final finely poised as the players hunt the 18-frame winning line.

Williams struggled in all departments in the first session, with his scoring notably poor. He returned for the evening stanza and kicked off with his highest break to date, an 86, to take frame nine.

Zhao did not miss many long pots in the afternoon, but one cost him in the ninth and another in the 10th handed a chance to Williams. The Welshman did not close out the frame in one visit, but got ahead and won a safety battle to take his second in a row.

'A super-tense end' - Williams snatches final frame of evening against Zhao

Video credit: TNT Sports

Zhao, who looked a little shaky in the opening couple of frames in the evening, missed again in the 11th, but he was handed an easy starter when Williams left a red in the jaws of the right corner and cashed in with a nerve-settling 71.

Williams' early burst was nullified, as Zhao picked off a break of 56 to ensure he went into the evening interval with his six-frame lead from the morning intact.

Zhao had the chance to extend his lead when getting in first in the 13th, but he missed a simple black to the left corner and Williams capitalised to close back to within five.

For Zhao fans, there were worrying moments as he missed again in the 14th and, for the second frame in a row, he was made to pay for the mistake as Williams crafted a break of 72 to cut the gap to four.

Williams produces superb escape from a snooker against Zhao

Video credit: TNT Sports

Zhao went almost half an hour without potting a ball, but he seized on Williams missing a tough red down the right rail and stepped on the accelerator with a break of 96 to take the 15th.

Williams watched on from his seat as Zhao worked his way through a break of 96, but looked set to answer back in the 16th. A break of 63 took him to frame ball, but he missed a tough red and Zhao picked his pocket with an ice-cool 71.

The 17th frame, the ninth of the session, had a big feel to it as it was the difference between Zhao extending his lead and Williams winning the evening.

The session went by in a blur, but the concluding frame was the longest of the evening by some way.

With one red remaining on the table, Williams held a two-point lead. Zhao had a couple of chances at mid-range reds, but they failed to drop and Williams found a superb break to take the frame and get within five heading into session three.

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Watch and stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+

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