World Snooker Championship final 2025 LIVE RESULT: Zhao Xintong beats Williams to win Crucible title and £500k jackpot
ZHAO XINTONG has beaten Mark Williams 18-12 to win the World Snooker Championship.
The Cyclone went into the evening session with an astonishing 17-8 lead, but Willo won four on the spin to set up the unthinkable.
A fourth Crucible crown wasn't to be for Williams as Zhao became the first Chinese player and first amateur to claim the iconic Crucible title.
The 28-year-old doesn't just take home the iconic trophy, but will leave Sheffield with a huge cheque for £500,000.
- Final result: Zhao Xintong 18-12 Mark Williams
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Crucible packed out again
As the arena fills up for the second day of the final, there will no be an empty seat in the house.
Snooker fans wants to see the moment the world champion is crowned.
Thhe big question will be whether they will get to see two sessions or not.
Nerves will play a part
Zhao Xintong played yesterday like someone who was not phased by the occasion at The Crucible.
However, as he edges closer to the finishing post it may well sink in the magnitude of what he is about to achieve.
Mark Williams could capitalise on that and do the unthinkable, overturning a five frame deficit.
Biggest session of his career
Mark Williams heads into day two of this final with the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The Welshman needs a dominant display to work his way back into this World Snooker Championship final.
With some big decisions to make about his eyesight coming up, Williams would love to do just that sat next to one of the biggst prizes in snooker.
Against the odds
Mark Williams is attempting to become the world's oldest champion and surpass Ronnie O'Sullivan, who was 46 years and 148 days old when he won his modern-day record-equalling seventh title in 2022.
The Welshman has reached the final despite his age and eyesight problems.
Zhao, playing as an amateur as he continues his comeback after a 20-month ban for involvement in a betting scandal, came through four rounds of qualifying.
He also produced a stunning display to thrash O'Sullivan 17-7 with a session to spare in his semi-final.
'He's the real deal': Murphy pays tribute
World champion Shaun Murphy has paid tribute to Zhao Xintong.
In his role as a BBC pundit, the 2005 winner said: "An incredible day for Zhao Xintong -- it could not have got any better.
"He will sleep like a baby tonight and come out [on Monday] for the biggest day of his life. He's the real deal."
Huge age gap
The age gap of 22 years is the biggest ever between two Crucible finalists and Zhao was just three years old when Williams won his first World Championship in 2000.
Zhao Xintong: how he got here – and where he could go next
Zhao Xintong won the UK Championship in 2021 but then served a 20-month ban for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal which rocked the sport.
He is now hoping to join Terry Griffiths and Shaun Murphy as the only qualifiers to land snooker's biggest prize since the tournament's 1977 move to South Yorkshire.
He would also become the first amateur to win in Sheffield, while the £500,000 top prize would lift him to 11th in the world rankings when he returns to the main professional tour next season.
Credit: PA How to watch the action today
The best-of-35 final continues on Monday at 13:00 (BST) and will be shown live on BBC Two.
In case you missed it ...
Mark Williams may well rue what might have been despite his mini recovery yesterday.
Having looked out-of-sorts early in the day, Williams also crucially lost the sixth and 16th frames when his opponent cleared the table after he had crafted half-century breaks, only to then miss the frame-deciding ball.
Credit: Getty
'No need for a move'
There’s talk of a potential change of host in the future, but when the tournament keeps producing moments like we've seen over the past few days, why move?
“Snooker and Sheffield go together hand in glove – it used to be steel, it’s now snooker,” ex-champion Shaun Murphy said.
Stay tuned for all the latest build-up to today's action.
Not long to go ...
If you're just joining us ahead of play today, here's a quick recap to get you up to speed:
- Zhao Xintong, pictured below, holds an 11-6 overnight lead over three-time winner Mark Williams after day one of the World Championship final at the Crucible Theatre yesterday
- The 28-year-old dominated the opening session to open up a 7-1 advantage but Williams, who is the oldest Crucible finalist, took five of the nine frames on offer in Sunday's second session, including a tense 17th frame.
- It gives the Welshman, 50, a small glimmer of hope when play resumes today.
- No player has previously overturned a deficit of more than four frames going into the second day of a World final.
Credit: Getty Huge challenge for Williams today
Can he do it? In the history of this tournament, no one has ever come back from five frames down to win the trophy.
This is the challenge Mark Williams faces today – and he will need to make a rousing start in the afternoon session.
You can follow us here for updates and live reports throughout the final.
Credit: Getty Another day of action looms
Providing Mark Williams can work his way back into this one, we should have two sessions of snooker to look forward to.
The afternoon session kicks-off around 1pm with eight frames scheduled.
Should we need it, the evening session will begin at 7pm and continue until we have a new champion.
Credit: PA Zhao not phased by occasion
Many expected the bright lights of the final to test the nerve of Zhao Xintong in Sheffield.
Even The Crucible did not seem to knock the Chinese star out of his stride.
That may change as he edges closer to the finishing line, many a player has crumbled in such situations before.
Credit: Getty First session leaves Welshman wanting
Having only finished his semi-final the evening before, Williams struggled to find his groove in the afternoon session today.
Such was the damage caused by it, that he found himself 7-1 down as they headed into the interval.
Given that, he will see the evening session as a big positive and having won the last frame of the day will come into day two full of confidence.
Credit: Getty
Fan bowled over by action
Former England cricketer Monty Panasar was in attendance this afternoon for the final.
The Ashes star seemed transfixed by the action.
There was not an empty seat in the house for both sessions on day one of the World Snooker Championship final.
Credit: Getty No flies on amateur in Sheffield
Zhao Xintong seemed to deal with everything thrown at him in day one of the World Snooker Championship final.
Even when a wasp seemed to take a liking to him, the Chinese amateur took it all in his stride and saw the funny side of things.
He did however miss the following shot, a minor blemish on his day.
Credit: Reuters Stars cannot resist the snooker
Callum Simpson was spotted in The Crucible for this evening's action.
The British super-middleweight champion seemed to be enjoy the action on show.
No doubt he will be hoping that Williams can deal a few lethal blows to the hopes of Xintong tomorrow.
Credit: Getty Williams to do the unthinkable
In the history of this tournament, no one has ever come back from five frames down to win the trophy.
This is the challenge Mark Williams faces tomorrow.
He will need the crowd behind him and make a rousing start to the afternoon session.
Credit: Getty Day one belong to Chinese amateur
Zhao Xintong dominated the first day of the World Snooker Championship final at The Crucible.
Mark Williams tried to stage a comeback in the evening session but still finished the day five frames behind.
Despite it being the first in the final for the Chinese amateur, he has taken to it like a duck to water.
He cannot get complacent though as he is playing someone able to turn on the style at a moment's notice.
Credit: Getty Zhao Xintong leads Mark Williams 11-6 (end of session)
Mark Williams 6-11 Zhao Xintong
The Welshman takes the last frame to reduce the gap.
He has plenty to do still but psychologically he needed that one.
That is the end of play for today, with the final to reach a climax tomorrow.
Mark Williams 45-43 Zhao Xintong (Frames: 5-11)
A break of 30 from Williams takes him into the lead.
He looks to play the red safe behind the baulk colours but gets it all wrong.
Zhao takes advantage and snookers the Welshman but he gets out of it with a good swerve shot and, more importantly, leaves it safe.
Mark Williams 14-43 Zhao Xintong (Frames: 5-11)
Zhao has a big chance to see this frame out now.
He is cueing so well and willing to go on the attack.
Despite having missed some long pots, he will never back away from taking them on.
He rattles a long pink, Williams gets to return to the table.
Mark Williams 14-14 Zhao Xintong (Frames: 5-11)
This is already turning into a very tense frame.
Both players are sinking long pots but not getting on colours.
You kind of feel the first person who does may win this frame.
Credit: Reuters