World Championship 2026 LIVE - Updates, results and streaming details as Mark Williams takes on Poland's history-maker Antoni Kowalski

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World Snooker Championship 2026 live comments and streaming details. TNT Sports brings you frame-by-frame updates as Mark Williams returns to the Crucible with a first-round match against Antoni Kowalski. Williams made it all the way to the final 12 months ago, where he was eventually beaten by Zhao Xintong. Xiao Guodong and Zhou Yuelong also face off in the afternoon session.

'Williams found that very amusing' - Kowalski takes note from Welshman's playbook

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Mark Williams opened up a 6-3 lead against Polish newcomer Antoni Kowalski after the opening session of their first-round match at the World Championship.

The three-time champion and last year's runner-up Williams watched his rookie opponent open with a break of 82 at the Crucible before an 85 helped him edge 2-1 clear.

Another 67 saw world No. 67 Kowalski level at 2-2 with the next two frames shared before the Welshman produced a three-frame winning burst boosted by two 50 breaks to lead by three frames before they play to a finish on Sunday evening at 19:00.

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Meanwhile, Xiao Guodong hit a 122 break to edge 4-3 clear of fellow Chinese player Zhou Yuelong in Saturday afternoon's other match with their second session also scheduled for a Sunday night finish.

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'Williams found that very amusing' - Kowalski takes note from Welshman's playbook

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Williams 5-3 Kowalski (73-45)

In goes the long blue from Willo and the handshake is offered. It is a 6-3 lead for Williams overnight.

Williams 5-3 Kowalski (68-45)

And in goes frame ball brown for the second time after a mistake by Antoni. A lead of 23 points on final three colours. Should be a done deal this time.

Williams 5-3 Kowalski (64-45)

Willo misses the brown off the spot and he then fails to escape from a snooker. So frame back in the mixer then. Careless from Williams. Well, this looked certain to be 6-3, but Mark having to go again with all four colours out in the open.

Williams 5-3 Kowalski (59-41)

Safety duel on the final red as Williams sees brown cover the red in baulk. A tense end to this session. Kowalski escapes from a snooker, but sticks up the final red. And that might be that for this frame and session.

Williams 5-3 Kowalski (53-41)

Taking a tricky red to right centre, but nothing doing. A 50 break is good, but not a frame winner. Williams getting a good run as white ends up next to pink. Tough bridging and Antoni misses it. Willo then sinks the red and yellow, but misses the cannon. Just safety to follow.

Williams 5-3 Kowalski (43-41)

All about cue ball control this. Willo normally a master in this climate. Into the lead then with two reds left up.

Williams 5-3 Kowalski (20-41)

Blunder by the Crucible rookie as Williams returns to the table. Looking to open up a three frame advantage overnight. Only one tricky red remaining on a side rail.

Williams 5-3 Kowalski (0-41)

A few real power shots in this break. Letting off a bit of steam. Would dearly love to get this frame won in a single hit. Into the pack, but nothing popping out for him. Goes for a plant to left middle with a plant, but doesn't make it.

Williams 5-3 Kowalski (0-11)

56 from Xiao against Zhou earns him a 4-3 lead on the other main table. Meanwhile, Antoni with first prod at these balls in the ninth frame. Sublime piece of cueing to ram home a red in keeping break going.

Williams 4-3 Kowalski (74-35)

Williams finishing off the frame in some style for a 5-3 lead. One more frame to came on this opening Saturday afternoon at the Crucible.

Williams 4-3 Kowalski (56-35)

White seemed to take a big bounce off a side rail in potting pink. And he misses the final red. Which is going to cost him the frame.

Williams 4-3 Kowalski (50-29)

Some cut on a long red by the young Polish potter, who is suddenly sizing up a real steal in the penultimate frame of the first session. Nothing safe on the table.

Williams 4-3 Kowalski (50-0)

A real determination by Williams in this break as he opens a few reds off blue. A fine cut on a red continues the break. Big chance for a two-frame lead for the first time in this match. Break reaches a gritty 50. And he opts to play the snooker rather than continue rolling the dice.

Xiao 3-3 Zhou

Both men pinching tight frames in the fifth and six frames. Still all square in that one.

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Williams 4-3 Kowalski (5-0)

Decent opening red by Willo from distance at the outset of this eighth frame. Needs one more frame to have an overnight lead heading into Sunday's final session.

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Williams 3-3 Kowalski (74-44)

Mark pinches the frame with the help of a decent little nudge off the brown onto the green via the yellow. A very timely flick. In goes the green, brown and blue for a 4-3 advantage. Two more frames to come in the session.

Williams 3-3 Kowalski (60-44)

Excellent pot on a pink by Williams across the table. Three reds left as one is put away by a double. In goes black. And he is studying another double on final red. Doesn't drop, but 37 gives him lead. Antoni can't drop in long red, and Williams then misses the cut on the red. Leaves red too. Huge chance to pinch frame for Kowalski.

Williams 3-3 Kowalski (23-36)

Super pot on a black by Antoni into the green pocket. Really struck that with authority. Six reds left on deck. Not easy to get frame won at this visit, and he misses a tricky cut on a red.

Williams 3-3 Kowalski (23-13)

A minute and a half being spent over a long red by Antoni. Plays it with deep screw. Back to baulk. No pot but decent result in the end.

Williams 3-3 Kowalski (22-0)

Cracking long red by Mark to get himself started in this seventh frame. Willo wrong side of the blue. Tries to power it around the angles. In and out of baulk. No position. Kowalski then goes in off. Black being nudged towards a side rail.

Williams 3-2 Kowalski (7-78)

As we suspected, this one is heading for 3-3 with another three frames to come in this opening session. Chance of a century too on the cards. But not at the moment as a red stays out. 68 break. We are level again.

Williams 3-2 Kowalski (7-59)

Not much between him and the winning line as he drills down a red to green bag. Growing in confidence out there.

Williams 3-2 Kowalski (7-29)

Brilliant back double on a red by Antoni to left middle after a few errors from both men. Was leaving the world if that didn't drop. Suddenly a very inviting chance to restore parity at 3-3.

Williams 2-2 Kowalski (78-0)

Antoni then failing to make much of a dent in this frame as Willo returns to tie up the loose ends for a 3-2 lead. 29 added to the 49 and he sneaks ahead by the odd frame in five.

Williams 2-2 Kowalski (49-0)

A rapid 49 from Mark, but can't get into the cluster off the blue so just the safety to conclude his latest visit to the table.

Williams 2-2 Kowalski (11-0)

Willo with first prod at these balls in the fifth frame. Will want to quickly bury the memory of that missed red with the rest in previous frame.

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16:05 - What happened this morning?

Defending champion Zhao Xintong will carry a 5-4 lead into the closing session of his World Championship opener against qualifier Liam Highfield at the Crucible.

The top seed is the 21st maiden winner of the sport's biggest event to try to successfully defend the trophy since 1980, but will have to play better to have a chance of emulating his 18-12 win over Mark Williams in last year's final.

Despite leading 2-0 and 4-2, Zhao, who hit breaks of 65, 123 and 77, was largely unconvincing as he scrambled over the line in the final frame of the session to carry a narrow lead into Saturday evening when they play to a finish at 19:00.

Meanwhile, Zhang Anda hit two centuries to move 5-3 clear of Mark Allen overnight before they conclude their match on Sunday morning at 10:00.

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Williams 2-1 Kowalski (43-73)

Looking for green with extended rest to restore parity at 2-2. In goes the green, and that should be a done deal. Brown makes sure. And Willo gives the nod. It is 2-2 at the interval. 122 from Xiao on the other table, he is level with Zhou Yuelong on the other main showpiece table at 2-2.

Williams 2-1 Kowalski (43-43)

Lead down to seven points. Nothing really safe on this table. That miss with the rest looks like it is going to be costly for Willo.

Williams 2-1 Kowalski (43-6)

Always a price to pay for missing easy balls at the Crucible. And Williams has just missed one of his own with the rest on a red. What is Antoni going to produce in response? Big visit in progress.

Williams 2-1 Kowalski (30-6)

Willo handed another glorious chance as Antoni breaks down early doors here. Can't really afford to be missing such easy balls in this company. What is the damage going to be?

'Williams found that very amusing' - Kowalski takes note from Welshman's playbook

Video credit: TNT Sports

Williams 1-1 Kowalski (85-21)

Break moves to 76 from Mark, and in goes the black. Onto the yellow. But no double on green. 85 from the Welshman. And a 2-1 lead in the race to 10. Meanwhile, a 56 from Xiao Guodong sees him close to 2-1 behind against Zhou Yuelong.

Williams 1-1 Kowalski (69-21)

Red and pink to left middle are dropped in. On the cusp of the third frame. Lovely contribution. Frame is a done deal now.

Williams 1-1 Kowalski (54-21)

Doesn't hit at the ball when he is settled. Just strokes the white and balls drop in rather than being walloped at pace.

Williams 1-1 Kowalski (31-21)

Willo into the lead in the frame, chance to get to work at the business end of the table. This is where he does his best work. Nice shot to develop a few more reds off the black. Really is a class operator in the mood.

Williams 1-1 Kowalski (14-21)

Mark picking out a supreme red to a top pocket. Lands right on the blue. Chance to get his cue arm working here. A very fine red to get in with.

Williams 1-1 Kowalski (0-21)

Fair to say, Kowalski is getting through the white with real relish from distance as another long red is dropped in. But he quickly loses the white on only eight. Forced to run safe.

Williams 0-1 Kowalski (75-61)

Blunder by Kowalski in leading blue near right middle pocket. In goes blue, pink and black. Very nice from Williams. He is level at 1-1 in the best-of-frame 19 match. Back to 1-1.

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Williams 0-1 Kowalski (57-61)

This has all the tension of a final-frame decider. Blue is still welded to a side rail. Williams ends up sticking up the brown. What is the option here? In goes brown, and he plays a decent safety with pink and black hanging over a middle bag.

Williams 0-1 Kowalski (57-57)

Willo with a fine cut on green to draw level in the frame. Looks like snooker might be the option. Right in behind black and that is a corking snooker.

Williams 0-1 Kowalski (54-57)

Three misses now and not nearer hitting the green. Willo can just sit this out for a while. The lead down to seven points as he misses for a fourth time. Make that fifth with the lead only three points. With five colours remaining on deck. What a turnaround. Gets there at the sixth time of asking. But not a great safety by Williams as he leaves green to right middle. Angle a bit acute and the safety is order of the day.

Williams 0-1 Kowalski (38-57)

The Polish potter inching towards this second frame as he manages to sink the yellow via a majestic swerve shot. But ends up snookering himself on the green. And nowhere near the hit behind pink. Meanwhile, Zhou Yuelong leads Xiao Guodong 2-0 boosted by a 63 break in the second frame.

Williams 0-1 Kowalski (34-55)

Two chances for Antoni to clinch the second frame, but a yellow from distance doesn't drop. Willo scrapping hard as he tries to find some momentum in this contest. Those pockets are very unforgiving. Kowalski then can't knock in a yellow hanging over a top pocket. All very tense.

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Williams 0-1 Kowalski (31-41)

Williams on the move then. Not easy to win the frame at this visit, but looking to get right back into it.

Williams 0-1 Kowalski (5-41)

Would you believe it? Antoni in among the balls with a great plant, but then ends up missing the red to left centre. Wow. Didn't see that one coming. Chance for Willo to hit back.

Williams 0-1 Kowalski (4-34)

Mark Williams yet to pot a ball in this match as he has a dart at a long red, but it rattles in a top jaw. Williams then sinks a decent cut on a red to green pocket after Antoni misses before losing the white. Still not settled inside the Crucible.

Williams 0-1 Kowalski (0-34)

The 22-year-old underdog is certainly hitting the ball with real purpose out there as he tucks away a lovely long red early in this contribution, but he loses the white trying to land on the blue and just accepts his medicine to run safe. Still, promising early signs.

Williams 0-1 Kowalski (0-0)

Blistering start to the day by the young Polish debutant, who opens with a break of 82 to take the first frame. One minor error by Williams and that was such a magnificent response to take the first frame. Game on.