China is edging closer to having its first world snooker champion after Zhao Xintong established an 11-6 lead over Mark Williams at the halfway point of the final at the Crucible Theatre on Sunday. Zhao needs to get to 18 frames to claim the sport's biggest prize,

Mark Williams will have to mount a fightback for the ages if he is to win his fourth world title, after succumbing to an outstanding display of snooker by Zhao Xintong, the rising star of the game, who has raced into a 7-1 lead in the final at The Crucible.