World Championship 2025: Zhao Xintong makes stunning start to first Crucible final by taking huge lead over Mark Williams in opening session

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Zhao Xintong made a rapid start to his first World Championship final as he raced into a six-frame lead over Mark Williams, making two centuries during an incredible session. He led 3-1 at the interval and kept the pressure on after the break to take a 7-1 lead. Watch and stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+.

'Looks like he was born to play in this venue' - Zhao makes century in second frame against Williams

Video credit: TNT Sports

Zhao Xintong made a stunning start to his maiden World Championship final by taking a 7-1 lead over Mark Williams after session one.

Williams struggled in all departments, and Zhao made hay to take a stranglehold on the contest.

The players return for session two later on Sunday, with Zhao in the driving seat in the race to 18.

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If there were any signs of nerves from the first-time Crucible finalist they were not evident, as Zhao pounced on a blunder from Williams to make 51 and followed it up with 77 to take the opener.

Things got better for the Chinese sensation in the second, as he helped himself to century No. 5 of his Crucible campaign - not including the 12 he made in the qualifiers - to double his lead.

The third was the first scrappy frame of the match, and the widely held view before the final was that Williams had to take those. He did not, despite Zhao being attacked by an insect. It boiled down to a battle on the colours, and Zhao emerged victorious when taking the black after a couple of stunning pots on blue and pink.

'Oh my goodness, that is absolutely sensational' - Zhao nails stunning plant

Video credit: TNT Sports

There was hope for Williams in the fourth as Zhao missed a couple of makeable pots. What could have been a clean sweep of the first mini-session ended on a positive note for the three-time winner as he fended off a couple of attempts at snookers from his opponent to get on the board.

Scoring was a problem for Williams in the early exchanges and that was the case again in the fifth. He got in first but could only make 28, and Zhao picked up the pieces to restore a three-frame lead.

Williams was under the pump heading into the sixth, but pressure has never been an issue for the veteran Welshman. He picked off a tough red to get going and made his best break of the match, a 61. But it did not prove enough and when he overcut a red to the left corner he returned to his seat with a face like thunder.

Zhao did not improve Williams’ mood as he picked off the two reds and colours to extend his lead to four frames.

'Made a big mistake there' - Zhao punishes Williams miss to extend lead

Video credit: TNT Sports

For all his brilliance, Zhao does offer chances to his opponents due to his attacking mindset.

Williams had two good chances in the seventh, but passed them both up as Zhao powered further clear on the back of his second century of the match, to equal the record for tons in the World Championship - including qualifiers - at 18.

Such was Zhao’s confidence, it got to the stage that, in the words of Neal Foulds on TNT Sports commentary, he was "taking on the wrong shots".

That wrong shot was a plant with the cue ball welded to the baulk cushion in frame eight. The red went into the heart of the pocket and set him on his way to a break of 83 to race into a six-frame lead and leave Williams in a massive hole.

Williams and Zhao will return for session two on Sunday evening, with the action live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

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