Mark Williams v Zhao Xintong LIVE: Score and updates from World Snooker Championship final

It simply has not been Mark Williams’ day. He misses a gap long-range pink and leaves the cue ball in prime vary for Zhao – however he can’t knock it into the yellow bag!

Shouts of “Come on Mark,” now he sinks a pink and the Crucible erupts into applause. The group need this to go to the night session; there’s a danger it gained’t.

An extended-range blue to the yellow pocket is greeted with comparable enthusiasm.

One other sensible fluke by Zhao as he goals the blue to left-centre, and it rattles throughout to the alternative pocket.

Williams catches a pink too thick and leaves Zhao completely positioned on a free pink to the highest pocket. He strikes easily by the colors, cleans up the desk, and Williams has an actual mountain to climb.

Zhao misses a pink – you’ll be able to’t win ‘em all – for a break of 31, however Williams fails to capitalise and Zhao is again to pot a pink to left center.

However he misses a pink to the nook pocket unexpectedly, leaving it nestled within the jaw for Williams – however he can’t sink the black instantly after and that is nonetheless very a lot Zhao’s body to lose.

It’s not one of the best break-off by Williams and Zhao takes benefit instantly with a pointy lengthy pot on the opening pink. It leaves him in an ungainly place for the inexperienced, although – however he flukes it into proper center, flicking the white on its means! Superb.

A characteristically assured begin by the previous UK champion as he works his means by the pack.

The gamers are again out after the mid-session interval. Is a Williams comeback on? He’s bought all of it to do from right here…

A wholesome slice of luck alongside the way in which, however Zhao Xintong’s place will get stronger and stronger – a 3-1 surge to the mid-session interval and Zhao is simply 4 frames away from being topped world champion.

Would you imagine it? Mark Williams is within the mire and never getting the rub of the inexperienced in any respect. Zhao Xintong leaves a pink over the pocket however is roofed by the pink, forcing Williams to swerve to succeed in it. He does – however the cue ball eddies in after it. It’s free ball, too – a one-point inexperienced is adopted up by a color and the final remaining pink and this ought to be the body for Zhao.

Zhao is in amongst the balls moderately rapidly in reply, however makes a hash of an in-and-out from balk, groping the inexperienced on his means by after rattling in a blue. His prayers aren’t answered after a Hail Mary into the thicket of reds, however somebody is watching over him – all the pieces pottable is roofed by a color, and Zhao begins once more with a pink of his personal.

Mark Williams can’t afford to lose this body earlier than the mid-session interval. He will get in with a classic pink. A composed 25 is collected earlier than he dares to disturb the nest, knocking a pair extra chicks free – in they each go.

Work to do from right here. In he goes across the angles from the brown…however he’s not on something! Unfortunate, as a result of he’d performed the pot completely. 45 and out for the three-time world champion.

That is removed from a easy break to construct. The black is out of fee, pincered by a pair of reds, whereas the pink is up on the inexperienced spot. A 51 is due to this fact wonderful compiled with sharp use of the blue…and it will get even higher as Zhao rifles in a ludicrously good pink down the right-hand aspect of the desk.

50 forward, 51 remaining with three reds left up. Play protected? Not this chap’s fashion! One other magic second as he finds an excellent pot once more. Mark Williams wants two snookers…and that’ll be the top of the body because the black ricochets into the center. Zhao re-establishes a six-frame benefit.