Zhao Xintong vs Mark Williams Preview & Prediction | 2025 World Snooker Championship | Final
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Two players at opposite ends of their snooker careers meet in the Crucible final, as qualifier Zhao Xintong faces three-time champion Mark Williams.
Start date/time: Sunday 4th May, 2025: UK – 1:00pm / US ET – 8:00am / US PT – 5:00am
How to watch on TV: UK – BBC & TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & discovery+ / US – Cannot be streamed
Tickets: Visit here for the latest ticket information
Zhao Xintong vs Mark Williams prediction
The hugely talented Zhao Xintong underlined his title credentials with an utterly dominant 17-7 triumph over seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan in the semi-finals.
Although the Rocket wasn’t at his best and struggled to find any consistency or rhythm, Xintong made the most of the opportunities presented to him and looked completely at ease with the one-table setup. Where so many players have faded in the past when they reached the business end of the World Snooker Championship for the first time, Xintong rose to the challenge to see off his idol in impressive fashion.
The Chinese star, a former UK Championship winner, only recently returned to the game after a 20-month ban for his involvement in the match fixing scandal that involved several Chinese players, but he is letting his performances in Sheffield do the talking and he is only one match away from becoming a national hero.
Standing in his way though, is one of the all-time greats of the game. Coming into the World Championship, very few were expecting Mark Williams to go deep in Sheffield, with his deteriorating eyesight heavily publicised.
However, the Welshman – a three-time world champion – has rolled back the years and used all his experience and frame-craft to outlast world number one Judd Trump in the semi-finals.
The 50-year-old defeated the heavily fancied Bristolian 17-14 in an absorbing last-four contest, and now has his sights set on a fourth world title, which would put him level with fellow Class of ’92 graduate John Higgins.
This certainly isn’t an easy one to call. Xintong has looked impeccable amongst the balls and will take great confidence from his destruction of O’Sullivan, but you have to feel the occasion and the enormity of what he could achieve may effect him at various points in this final.
Williams’ unshakeable temperament is his greatest asset, and while momentum is likely to ebb and flow for both players over multiple sessions, we feel the veteran will just about do enough to hold off the Chinese talent in what has the makings of a classic final.
Zhao Xintong vs Mark Williams tip: Mark Williams to win
