John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

It was a horrible frame with how the balls went and balls going safe.

There’s just not as much petrol in Mark Williams’ tank. He’s had a hard passage to the final – even the first round was 10-8. It’s a lot of frames that he’s played and, let’s be honest, he’s 50.

It wasn’t exactly vintage snooker in that frame from either player, but Mark Williams takes it.

Mark Williams has a 32-point lead with 51 remaining.

Two more reds will see him over the line in this frame, but none of them are ideally placed…

The first one drops in the corner and he pots the black before playing safe.

The Welshman now 40 ahead with 43 left.

John Virgo
1979 UK Championship winner on BBC Two

Mark Williams is getting help from his opponent, but you can’t depend on that.

Ohhh, Mark Williams misses a straightforward pink to the middle.

He was walking to his next shot because he thought it was heading in, but it lips out, giving Zhao Xintong next chance.

But then Zhao breaks down quickly.

A scrappy frame in which both players have had opportunities.

Now then, Mark Williams has left Zhao Xintong in a snooker behind the brown.

Zhao hits the black with his first attempt, but grazes the reds near the black spot off two cushions with his second.

The Chinese player gets a chance of a long red but misses, giving Williams an easy starter to the middle.

There’s a safety exchange before Mark Williams is presented with a half-chance on a red but he misses it to the corner by some distance – it doesn’t even find the jaws of the pocket.

Zhao Xintong is on a tricky red to left middle and it doesn’t drop.

“A let-off,” says John Virgo in commentary.

When you get to the Crucible, you could play a maximum of 102 frames in the four rounds before you get to the final.

Mark Williams played 97 frames across his four matches and has done it the hard way – he was one pot away from losing to John Higgins in the quarter-finals and then trailed Judd Trump 7-3 in his semi-final before fighting back to become the oldest finalist in Crucible history.

Ashley Parker: I don’t think Mark Williams is playing well enough to get back into this match. Unfortunately, he’s not turned up so far in this final. It’s been a very flat performance, sadly!

Martin Warren: Zhao just looks unbeatable… what a player he is.

What a setting.

Ken Doherty
1997 world champion on BBC Two

We’re eulogising here about his manner around the table. This is his first final – I was like a rabbit in the headlights. He’s just strolling round the table potting balls.

Mark Williams goes for a long red from Zhao Xintong’s break-off but it’s some way away.

But Zhao can’t take immediate advantage, missing to the corner, and Williams pots the opener.

Williams tries to go into the reds off the blue – but catches the pink half-ball, slides away and it’s break over.

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

Mark Williams got a standing ovation in the lounge area of his hotel last night when he was heading off to bed at about 23:00 BST.

He will need to push the envelope today. Will he be able to draw upon memories of hisfamous recovery from 13-7 down against Matthew Stevens 25 years ago on the same grand stage?

Williams said he had Tom Jones’ ‘Delilah’ playing on repeat to inspire him before his classic 13-12 quarter-final victory over John Higgins.

He needs more of the same here.

One down, six more to go for Zhao Xintong.

Zhao won yesterday’s afternoon session 7-1 – a repeat today would mean he wins the final with a session to spare.

Still a long way to go until that prospect though.

After Mark Williams misses a blue, Zhao Xintong gets back to the table and gets to the stage where Williams needs a snooker.

A solid start from the 28-year-old, who is aiming to become China’s first world snooker champion.

With no red available to pot, Zhao Xintong has to play safe after a break of 46. A decent first visit to the table.

Mark Williams spots a plant among the bunch of reds to register his first point of the day but is awkward on the next colour.

The Welshman sinks an excellent green with the rest and has a chance to eat into Zhao’s lead in frame 18.

The repercussions of Zhao Xintong’s 20-month ban means he is technically classed as an amateur at this event – although he was well inside the world’s top 10 before being suspended and is a former UK Championship winner.

He needed to get through four rounds of qualifying to reach the Crucible.

Ken Doherty
1997 world champion on BBC Two

Zhao Xintong is just so graceful to watch. It’s all done with so much finesse. He’s a big star already and if if he wins this trophy, he will be an even bigger one.

Ding Junhui was the pioneer for Chinese snooker and this guy could take it to a new level. It will totally explode.

And Zhao will be happy enough with the start he’s made – Mark Williams leaves a long red from the break-off and Zhao floats it into the left corner.

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

I expect Mark will come out all guns blazing. He’s had another night’s sleep, the semi-final match against Judd Trump was monumental and may have taken a lot of out of him. If he has a good start, we might have a match on our hands.

Mark has got to win this session. It’s the most important session of the match and two of the three scenarios will suit Zhao. If Zhao draws this session, he’ll be happy enough with that.

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

Zhao Xintong had a posse of fans waiting for him when he arrived at the Crucible’s stage door a little earlier.

The Chinese player receives all sorts of requests, from selfies to signing snooker cue cases.

Wales’ Mark Williams slipped in quietly through the main entrance.

No quiet introductions into the main arena though – both players get a superb welcome from the Crucible crowd.