World Snooker Championship 2026 - Updates, results and streaming details as Mark Williams beats Antoni Kowalski

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Mark Williams found some vintage form as he eased past Polish debutant Antoni Kowalski 10-4 to secure a last-16 meeting with Barry Hawkins at the World Snooker Championship.

'What a pot!' - Williams lands brilliant long black to seal win

Video credit: TNT Sports

Resuming 6-3 clear from Saturday afternoon's first session, the three-time world champion and last year's runner-up produced some majestic shot-making and scoring bursts to overcome the 22-year-old qualifier.

Kowalski closed to 6-4 behind by winning a scrappy 10th frame, but it was Williams who dominated the evening session on Sunday with breaks of 65 and 115 helping him move 9-4 ahead before he sunk a wonderful long final black to seal the victory in the 14th frame.

The Welshman will begin his three-session match with Hawkins. who overcame Matthew Stevens by the same scoreline, on Friday morning at 10:00.

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Meanwhile, Xiao Guodong defeated Zhou Yuelong 10-6, winning the final three frames from 7-6 clear, boosted by breaks of 115 and 128.

His reward is a meeting with Shaun Murphy or Fan Zhengyi in the last 16.

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As it happened: Williams beats Kowalski

Williams 9-4 Kowalski (55-54)

Williams down to the final two balls, but can't land nicely on the pink off blue in baulk. Misses pink with rest, and Willo then leaves the pink to left centre. Which Antoni powers in. Not nicely on the black so just the safety to follow. But a brilliant winning black from Willo sees out the match. What a fabulous match-winning pot.

Williams 9-4 Kowalski (27-48)

The young Polish player scrapping his way to a lead of 25 points with two reds left on deck. But a safety blunder sticks up a chance for Willo to win frame and match.

Williams 9-4 Kowalski (23-32)

A difficult table to produce one big hit, but the young Polish player is back at the table. Just failing to develop a few reds off the black as break brought to a halt on 23. A fluked double on a red, but will only be worth a solitary point.

Williams 9-4 Kowalski (12-8)

Willo really starting to motor around this table. What another fabulous pot on a red to left middle by Willo.

Williams 9-4 Kowalski (0-8)

A real theme of this match has been Antoni getting in with a great long red, and scoring absolutely nothing.

Xiao 7-5 Zhou

One frame back for Zhou in their battle to reach the second round. Winner of that match will face Shaun Murphy or Fan Zhengyi in the next round.

Williams 8-4 Kowalski (115-15)

A wonderful century from Williams. Brilliantly crafted. 115 of the very best from Willo. He leads 9-4 and needs more frame for a meeting with Barry Hawkins in the last 16.

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Williams 8-4 Kowalski (70-15)

And that is another frame for Mark in the bag. Brilliant stuff from the three-time Crucible winner, who is moving 9-4 ahead.

Williams 8-4 Kowalski (56-15)

Reds are all nicely developed, and break moves to 56. Chance to head for the mid-session break needing one more frame for victory.

Williams 8-4 Kowalski (32-15)

Williams back at the table after another easy miss by his opponent, who looks to be struggling for any sort of form under pressure. 52 and 64 from Xiao, who is moving 7-4 ahead of Zhou on the other main table.

Williams 8-4 Kowalski (0-9)

Nothing wrong with the underdog's ability to pot reds from distance, but he has not followed up these pots with much ammo.

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Williams 7-4 Kowalski (67-15)

Antoni really needs some big breaks otherwise this match is going to slip away from him. Frame-ball black is drained. An 8-4 lead in the bag.

Williams 7-4 Kowalski (40-15)

Williams is really going to town with these long reds now. Which will do his confidence no harm at all. Golden chance to get this frame won to lead 8-4.

Williams 7-4 Kowalski (33-15)

Only 14 from Antoni, who is not really troubling the scorer. Willo with another fabulous long red of his own. But then misses the pack.

Williams 7-4 Kowalski (28-8)

Stunning long red from Williams, who looks like he has joined the party here. Suddenly hitting the white with real authority. But a red with the rest doesn't drop. So premature end to the break.

Williams 6-4 Kowalski (89-9)

In goes the red he needs to put the frame to bed before a blue and long red are despatched. A rapid 65 is very nice indeed. A 7-4 lead for Willo.

Williams 6-4 Kowalski (61-9)

But a few shots later, and the Welshman has these balls at his mercy. Lovely stuff here in building some momentum.

Williams 6-4 Kowalski (37-9)

Another chance for Willo after a blunder by his young opponent. All a bit of a struggle though to achieve prime position.

Williams 6-4 Kowalski (24-9)

This is a bit of a struggle for both players so far, but excellent cut on a black by Willo after his opponent misses a tricky pot on the blue. Break ends quite quickly as he refuses to attack reds off black. All a bit odd.

Williams 6-3 Kowalski (48-80)

Antoni escapes from another snooker before slotting a long blue a few seconds later. Job done. Not the greatest of frames, but back to 6-4 behind.

Williams 6-3 Kowalski (48-69)

Another safety blunder by Williams to stick up a red over a top pocket. Looks like it will cost him the frame. Two snookers needed. A pretty scrappy frame. One snooker back as Antoni somehow goes round the back of the blue with side.

Williams 6-3 Kowalski (35-50)

Antoni misses a mid-range red from distance as the object ball doesn't drop. Down to the final two reds.

Williams 6-3 Kowalski (34-50)

A very nervy start for both men. Nothing coming easy as Antoni cans another long red of real quality. A lead of 15 points with four reds left up before Williams fails to hit a red thin from distance.

Williams 6-3 Kowalski (34-25)

Far from easy to get too much on the board here. Williams with a lead of 14 points. But he butchers a long red, and sticks up his opponent for a few points of his own.

Williams 6-3 Kowalski (12-20)

Another swashbuckling long red flies into the pocket, but he misses a red cueing over another red seconds later. Was far from easy.

Williams 6-3 Kowalski (12-9)

Corking piece of cueing from Antoni to drop in a long red, but doesn't land on a red after slotting black. Bit of a nervy start to the evening by Willo.

Williams 6-3 Kowalski (4-1)

Young Polish player fails to skin the side of a red as he tried to get white back to baulk. Told to have another go. Gets there at second time of asking.

Carter hits back to lead Higgins

Ali Carter roared back from 4-0 behind to claim a 5-4 overnight lead against John Higgins in an astonishing opening session of two halves at the World Championship.

Four-time world champion Higgins looked in complete control before the mid-session interval in securing a clean sweep of all four frames boosted by a 76 run in the third frame.

But the match turned on its head when Higgins missed frame-ball red along the top cushion for a 5-1 lead as Carter, the finalist in 2008 and 2012, mopped up the red and colours to pinch the frame by four points.

It was to prove a major turning point as Higgins scored only six points in the remainder of the session with his opponent finishing with runs of 91 and 74 to lead before they play to a finish on Monday afternoon at 14:30.

The Scot had the chance to stop the rot in the ninth frame, but got a bad kick on the white then missed a tricky black as Carter punished with one big visit having struggled earlier on.

The first man to 10 will take on Ronnie O'Sullivan or He Guoqiang in the round of 16.

Meanwhile, 2013 finalist Barry Hawkins completed a 10-4 win over two-time runner-up Matthew Stevens to book his spot in the second round.

He will take on Mark Williams or Antoni Kowalski in the last 16 with Williams 6-3 up from their opening session.