Zhao Xintong has dominated Mark Williams in the opening session of the world snooker championship final by running up a 7-1 lead in his bid to become the first Chinese winner of the sport’s biggest prize.

Whoever wins the 2025 World Snooker Championship will be making history. We’ll have either the oldest world champion or the first Chinese world champion and both would be huge for the sport.If day one of the best-of-35 final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield is anything to go by,

Crucible qualifier Zhao Xintong dominated Mark Williams in the opening session of the World Snooker Championship final, running up a 7-1 lead. The Chinese, who thrashed Ronnie O’Sullivan in the semi-final, was in complete control as the three-time champion was unable to find the form that saw him upset Judd Trump on Saturday.