Live Reporting
Phil Cartwright and Frank Keogh
Goodnight!published at 22:00 British Summer Time 4 May
22:00 BST 4 May
Final: Willliams 6-11 Zhao (Best of 35)
Thanks for being with us for day one of the 2025 World Championship final.
Tomorrow, history will be made.
We will either crown the oldest champion ever, or the first winner of snooker's biggest prize from China.
Zhao Xintong is in pole position to make his dreams a reality on Monday - make sure you join us for coverage of the 17th and final day if competition at the Crucible.
Image source, ReutersMonday's schedulepublished at 21:57 British Summer Time 4 May
21:57 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 6-11 Zhao
There will be eight frames in Monday's afternoon session, which gets under way at 13:00 BST.
The final 10 scheduled frames will commence from 19:00 BST.
You can watch it all on BBC Two, the BBC iPlayer, plus the BBC Sport website and app.
And we will be back for live text commentary of it all too.
Postpublished at 21:55 British Summer Time 4 May
21:55 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 6-11 Zhao
Shaun Murphy
2005 world champion on BBC TwoAn incredible day for Zhao Xintong - it could not have got any better. He will sleep like a baby tonight and come out tomorrow for the biggest day of his life. He's the real deal.
Postpublished at 21:50 British Summer Time 4 May
21:50 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 6-11 Zhao
Mark Williams winning that last frame realistically keeps his hopes alive of a fightback. Being 12-5 behind would surely have been a mountain too far.
From 11-6? Well, it's possible.
Williams wins final frame of sessionpublished at 21:47 British Summer Time 4 May
21:47 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 6-11 Zhao
Mark Williams wins the last frame of the evening, he wins the session 5-4 and he will be five frames behind overnight.
Zhao Xintong remains a strong favourite for the title, though.
Postpublished at 21:46 British Summer Time 4 May
21:46 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-11 Zhao
Nervy, nervy moments.
Both players attempt pots on the last red but it hasn't dropped for either yet.
Until Mark Williams is left with a long pot to the corner, which he gets.
The colours are in weird positions though, with the green and pink on cushions.
Williams is on the green with a 10-point lead... and sinks it!
Just brown and blue required...
Postpublished at 21:40 British Summer Time 4 May
21:40 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-11 Zhao
Ken Doherty
1997 world champion on BBC TwoYou could almost hear a pin drop in the Crucible now.
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 21:40 British Summer Time 4 May
21:40 BST 4 May
#bbcsnooker on social media, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
Zhao glides around the table like Fred Astaire and then strikes like Mike Tyson... mesmerising and lethal
Neil W
Postpublished at 21:38 British Summer Time 4 May
21:38 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-11 Zhao
A great shot from Mark Williams on the black gives him a possible pot at the penultimate red. It drops in from a tight angle along the top cushion, but he's not ideal on the black to get on the last red.
He pots the black and then is happy to play the safety - the red only just travels far enough not to leave a long pot on for Zhao, though.
Williams leads by two points with 35 remaining.
Postpublished at 21:34 British Summer Time 4 May
21:34 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-11 Zhao
Zhao Xintong opens up a 28-point lead but a loose positional shot leaves a pink into the top corner and he rattles the jaws with it.
Now then, Mark Williams - can he do what Zhao did to him in the previous frame?
Postpublished at 21:31 British Summer Time 4 May
21:31 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-11 Zhao
After a safety exchange, Mark Williams goes for a long red and misses.
It leaves Zhao Xintong a starter to the left centre and there are a few loose reds available for him to build a handy lead.
Postpublished at 21:26 British Summer Time 4 May
21:26 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-11 Zhao
There have been a few times tonight when Mark Williams has either overhit or underhit a positional shot by six inches and while he has potted himself out of trouble at times, on other occasions it has cost him.
Both players have had chances in frame 17 but neither player has had the cue ball under great control.
Postpublished at 21:23 British Summer Time 4 May
21:23 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-11 Zhao
Mark Williams pots an early red and blue early in the final frame of the day, but can't follow it up with another red.
Zhao Xintong adds six points of his own.
Postpublished at 21:20 British Summer Time 4 May
21:20 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-11 Zhao
Shaun Murphy
2005 world champion on BBC TwoThere was a certain air of inevitability about it [when Zhao came to the table]. Mark Williams knew that as well. It was Hendry-esque in the 90s.
Image source, ReutersPostpublished at 21:19 British Summer Time 4 May
21:19 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-11 Zhao
John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC TwoEvery time Mark Williams has had a body blow in this championship, he's come back.
Let's see if he can do it again.
Zhao six frames in frontpublished at 21:18 British Summer Time 4 May
21:18 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-11 Zhao
Zhao Xintong clears the table for a break of 71. He could so easily have been only four ahead, but Mark Williams missed his chance on the brink of the winning line and Zhao is six frames ahead once again.
A big steal.
Postpublished at 21:16 British Summer Time 4 May
21:16 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-10 Zhao
Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre, SheffieldYou often hear terms like "walked away with the title" but if Zhao Xintong were to triumph on Monday, you could take that quite literally given he lives a 10-minute walk from the Crucible Theatre.
Postpublished at 21:13 British Summer Time 4 May
21:13 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-10 Zhao
Frame ball for Mark Williams stays in the jaws.
75 points left on the table, Zhao Xintong is 63 behind. This would be a sickener for Williams if Zhao was to clear and win the frame from here.
Postpublished at 21:11 British Summer Time 4 May
21:11 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-10 Zhao
John Virgo
1979 UK Championship winner on BBC TwoMark is really battling here. There's tension in the arm, that's why he's under-hitting shots, but what a competitor.
Postpublished at 21:11 British Summer Time 4 May
21:11 BST 4 May
Final: Williams 5-10 Zhao
Mark Williams is on a break of 51 - he's scored much better in this second session.
A couple more reds and colours should get him past the winning line in this frame.
