Mark Williams v Zhao Xintong LIVE: Fascinating World Snooker Championship final begins at the Crucible

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At 50 years of age, Williams is the oldest Crucible finalist in history as he tries to claim a fourth world title, 25 years after his first. Meanwhile, Zhao is 22 years his junior and the 28-year-old Chinese star is the youngest World Championship finalist since 2011.

The pair begin their best-of-35 encounter at 1pm on Sunday afternoon, with the second session at 7pm that evening, before sessions three and four are at the same times on Bank Holiday Monday, with the 2025 world champion to be crowned in the evening.

Follow all the action from day one of the World Snooker Championship final between Mark Williams and Zhao Xintong below:

‘Half-blind’ Mark Williams makes World Snooker Championship history to set up intriguing final

A full quarter of a century after winning the World Snooker Championship for the first time at the age of 25, a now 50-year-old Mark Williams will try to claim a fourth world title when he strides out at the Crucible Theatre on Sunday afternoon.

If the veteran Welshman always exudes an air of nonchalance, no matter how high the stakes, surely even he will have one or two butterflies fluttering as he begins a best-of-35 encounter with Zhao Xintong, when he will take his place as the oldest finalist in Crucible history.

He didn’t outwardly show any nerves as he brushed aside world No 1 Judd Trump 17-14 in a captivating semi-final, turning a match that was 8-8 overnight into a relatively comfortable triumph, but afterwards acknowledged that he was feeling the pressure when Trump began to hit back from 16-12.

Read Luke Baker’s full report from the Crucible:

Luke Baker4 May 2025 10:02

Everything you need to know about the final

The World Snooker Championship has reached its climax at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield with the 2025 final the only match left to be played at the iconic venue.

Veteran Welshman Mark Williams has made it to the showpiece at the age of 50, becoming the oldest Crucible finalist in history, where controversial Chinese star Zhao Xintong will be his opponent – competing as an amateur, fresh from returning from a ban for being party to match-fixing in snooker.

Here’s what you need to know about the final:

Luke Baker4 May 2025 10:01