World Snooker Championship 2026 recap – Updates, results and streaming details as Shaun Murphy cruises and Mark Williams level with Barry Hawkins

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World Snooker Championship 2026 live comments and streaming details. TNT Sports brings you frame-by-frame updates. Shaun Murphy produced three centuries in the last four frames to beat Xiao Guodong, while Mark Williams and Barry Hawkins are locked at four-all. Play resumes at 14:30 with Mark Allen up over 5-3 Kyren Wilson and Zhao Xintong and Ding Junhai getting underway.

Xiao flukes red along bottom cushion as Murphy takes commanding lead

Video credit: TNT Sports

Shaun Murphy booked his place in the third round of the World Snooker Championship by thrashing Xiao Guodong 13-3.

The Magician came into Friday with a commanding 6-2 lead at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

Mark Williams and Barry Hawkins began their match, which looks like it could go to the wire.

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This live blog covers frame-by-frame action, with full scores across all matches available on the TNT Sports scores page.

HBO Max is the streaming home of TNT Sports - watch the action below.

Murphy reaches third round with aplomb

Shaun Murphy only just eked into the second round of the World Championship, but his progression to the third round was much easier, thrashing Xiao Guodong 13-3.

Murphy almost went out at the first hurdle to Fan Zhengyi but played much better in this round, hitting three centuries in the session to see off Fan's compatriot.

Coming into today with a 6-2 lead, Murphy won a scrappy opener, then the next two with breaks of 93 and 66, before Xiao's 78 saw the score reach 9-3 at the interval.

Murphy's form from this point onward was imperious, hitting three centuries in four frames (103 twice and a 115) to breeze through with a session to spare.

On the other side of the screen, Barry Hawkins three times took the lead over Mark Williams, before having to secure the last frame to keep the match intriguingly poised.

Hawkins began with a 127 clearance and has also recorded frame-winning 58 and 73 breaks, while Williams ended the first session with a fantastic 124, ending with a little fun for the crowd.

The match resumes at 7pm tonight, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

Mischievous Williams pulls red out of pocket as referee calls foul

Video credit: TNT Sports

Hawkins 4-4 Williams

Hawkins levels at four apiece. They look up for indication if it is to be the last frame of the match at present, and indeed it is. This tussle will resume this evening.

Hawkins 3-4 Williams (73*-0)

Sinking a black ensured Williams will not return to the table.

Hawkins 3-4 Williams (8*-0)

Hawkins is first at the table in the last frame of the morning session.

Hawkins 3-4 Williams

Williams clears to the pink to take the lead in the match.

Hawkins 3-3 Williams (40-51*)

Hawkins leaves the last red in the bottom-left jaws but snookers Williams with the blue. The Welshman pots it off the cushion though.

Hawkins 3-3 Williams (34*-50)

A couple of good pots later and, with the last two reds nicely placed, Hawkins looks like taking the lead for the fourth time.

Hawkins 3-3 Williams (11-50)

Williams looks like taking the lead for the first time in the match, but a miss on the black keeps Hawkins in the frame.

Murphy beats Xiao 13-3

A fantastic break of 103 puts added gloss on Murphy's place in round three.

Murphy 12-3 Xiao (101*-0)

Murphy is on for his fourth century of the match.

Murphy 12-3 Xiao (88*-0)

He is putting on an exhibition now. A flash double keeps the break going.

Murphy 12-3 Xiao (70*-0)

Murphy pots the blue to secure the frame, match and his place in the third round.

Murphy 12-3 Xiao (33*-0)

Murphy puts the red away and stuns for the black. Normal service should be resumed now.

Murphy 12-3 Xiao (25-0)

Did not see that happening! The most straight-forward black off its spot, Murphy misses and stares back at the table in disbelief. Xiao then misses a cut into the bottom-right pocket, leaving the red in the jaws - but Murphy will need a plant to pot it.

Murphy 12-3 Xiao (1*-0)

Xiao misses a long pot and Murphy opens up with a plant. With an easy black to follow, he also has five well-placed reds available.

Hawkins 3-3 Williams

This match remains nip and tuck. Williams hits a 75 break to level things up once more.

Murphy 12-3 Xiao

A deflection off the pink leads to him missing a long blue, so the break ends at 115. Murphy is one frame from victory.

Murphy 11-3 Xiao (106*-0)

Playing very swiftly, Murphy makes it to three figures, with the colours to come.

Murphy 11-3 Xiao (57*-0)

The frame is Murphy's now. He will look to cap it with his third century of the match.

Murphy 11-3 Xiao (57*-0)

He racks up another half-century and is close to securing the 15th frame.

Murphy 11-3 Xiao (6*-0)

Murphy rolls in a long red to get himself going as he looks to secure his third-round spot with a session to spare.

Hawkins 3-2 Williams

A 58-break helped Hawkins to take a 3-2 lead over Williams.

Murphy 11-3 Xiao

A fantastic break of 62 from Murphy there and he is now two frames from the next round.

Murphy 10-3 Xiao (51*-55)

Murphy pots a difficult brown along the bottom cushion while stretching up the table and now he will secure the frame if he clears up.

Murphy 10-3 Xiao (1*-55)

The break comes to an end and now Murphy has a chance for a steal which would be hard for Xiao to stomach.

Murphy 10-3 Xiao (0-41*)

A huge slice of luck for Xiao, though he will feel he has been due some. He misses a red while opening up the rest of them, but sees it then fly into the adjacent bottom-left pocket.

Xiao flukes red along bottom cushion as Murphy takes commanding lead

Video credit: TNT Sports

Williams has fun at end of big break

Mischievous Williams pulls red out of pocket as referee calls foul

Video credit: TNT Sports

Murphy 10-3 Xiao (0-8*)

Murphy misses a long pot letting Xiao in first on the table in the 14th frame.

Murphy 10-3 Xiao

Murphy misses the last red but not before reaching a 103 break.

Murphy 9-3 Xiao (74*-0)

Murphy has secured the frame and moves within three of the third round. He can equal his tournament-best 140 if he pots all blacks from here.

Murphy 9-3 Xiao (7*-0)

Murphy immediately back among the balls. The pink has gone back in an awkward position, but the black is free to build a break.

Hawkins 2-2 Williams

A brilliant break of 124 is a nice way to end the first mini-session. Only missing the total clearance as he goes for a break. He puts a red by the pocket for the black to hit to amuse the crowd.

Hawkins 2-1 Williams (0-104*)

A fantastic century from Williams, he rolls in the last red along the bottom cushion and then puts away the ensuing black with pinache.

Hawkins 2-1 Williams (0-41*)

Williams looks like making it level at the interval as he approaches his second half-century break of the match.

Hawkins 2-1 Williams

Hawkins wins a long, scrappy third frame to take the lead once more.

Hawkins 2-2 Williams

A brilliant break of 124 is a nice way to end the first mini-session. Only missing the total clearance as he goes for a break. He puts a red by the pocket for the black to hit to amuse the crowd.

Hawkins 2-1 Williams (0-104*)

A fantastic century from Williams, he rolls in the last red along the bottom cushion and then puts away the ensuing black with pinache.

Hawkins 2-1 Williams (0-41*)

Williams looks like making it level at the interval as he approaches his second half-century break of the match.

Hawkins 2-1 Williams

Hawkins wins a long, scrappy third frame to take the lead once more.

Murphy 9-3 Xiao

Xiao makes a break of 74 and they leave for the interval. He should at least fancy himself to force a third session now.

Murphy 9-2 Xiao (22-38*)

Xiao looking composed now and should take the frame from this position.

Murphy 9-2 Xiao (22-8*)

Murphy gets no luck going into the pack off the brown so has to play safe. He then misses a long pot from the baulk end and presents a pot for Xiao.

Murphy 9-2 Xiao (6*-0)

Murphy rolls a red up into the left middle and then sweetly strikes a long blue setting up another chance of a big break.

Murphy 9-2 Xiao

A break of 66 for Murphy and he will look to move into double figures in the last frame before the interval.

Murphy 8-2 Xiao (63*-15)

The frame is now Murphy's. He will try and add another half-century break to his tally.

Murphy 8-2 Xiao (33*-15)

"The game is so difficult at time," 1986 winner Joe Johnson says on TNT Sports commentary. Xiao had to do some work with the ball to get on a red after a pink into the middle and he misses it. You don't want to be giving Murphy multiple chances at present.

Murphy 8-2 Xiao (26-1*)

An inexplicable miss of an easy blue allows Xiao back to the table, though he will need to break up the pack quite soon to make a meaningful break.

Murphy 8-2 Xiao (16*-0)

Other than his long pots from the baulk end, Murphy has been cueing magnificently and makes a cut travelling half the length of the table look effortless to continue the break.

Murphy 8-2 Xiao (1*-0)

Murphy misses a pot but is fortunate to leave the ball glued to the left-hand side cushion making a straight forward pot for Xiao a bit harder and he then left an easy start for the 2005 World Champion.

Murphy 8-2 Xiao

A fantastic break of 93 from Murphy. He looks very much like securing the match in this session.

Murphy 7-2 Xiao (32*-25)

Murphy gently opens up the remaining pack of reds, just separating one for an easy pot and he now looks odds on to take the frame.

Murphy 7-2 Xiao (7*-25)

Xiao got himself out of a tough spot potting a long blue with the rest, but then muffed an easy pink on the black spot and Murphy has a nice table to attack.

Hawkins 1-1 Williams

Barry Hawkins won the opener with a 127 clearance, but a 69-break got Williams back on level terms.

Murphy 7-2 Xiao (0-8*)

Xiao again has the first chance on the table. Can he make it pay this time?

Murphy 7-2 Xiao

Xiao pots the last couple of reds but, after almost going in off, misses a very difficult black off the last - and then concedes.

Murphy 6-2 Xiao (64-17)

Murphy puts away a fantastic black into the left middle which means Xiao needs a snooker.

Murphy 6-2 Xiao (43-17)

Despite the black being out of action, Murphy developed a good lead but misses a very difficult red with the rest, but Xiao then misses a chance by a long way and the Magician should seal the frame now.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Murphy 6-2 Xiao (4*-17)

After a lengthy safety exchange, Xiao seemed to get fed up and hit a very attacking safety opening the pack and spinning back to baulk, but he left a red over the bottom-left pocket and Murphy is now at the table.

Murphy 6-2 Xiao (0-17)

The break ends early with the black now in an awkward position encumbered by a couple of reds.

Murphy 6-2 Xiao (0-7*)

Xiao needed a good start and is first with his hand on the table this morning after Murphy missed a long pot.

Xiao needs to up game this morning

The Chinese star didn't make a half-century break in the first session against Murphy, who made a century and four 60+ efforts, but Xiao did win two of the last three frames to give himself a chance going into this session.

Good morning!

Thanks for joining our coverage of the World Championship second round where Shaun Murphy will resume with a 6-2 leader over Xiao Guodong and Mark Williams will get underway against Barry Hawkins.