Zhao Xintong moved seven frames away from becoming the first Chinese player to win the world snooker championship after building an 11-6 lead over veteran Mark Williams on Sunday’s opening day of the final.
The 28-year-old Zhang left three-time world champion Williams playing catch-up after he made a blistering start to take the first session 7-1 at the Crucible Theatre.
But the 50-year-old Williams, bidding to become snooker’s oldest world champion, fought back during the evening session.
His recovery left him five frames behind in the best-of-35-frame contest.
“An incredible day for Zhao Xintong — it could not have got any better,” 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy said in his role as a BBC pundit.
“He will sleep like a baby tonight and come out tomorrow (Monday) for the biggest day of his life. He’s the real deal.”
Williams is attempting to surpass Ronnie O’Sullivan, who was 46 years and 148 days old when he won his modern-day record-equalling seventh title in 2022.
The Welshman has reached the final despite his age and eyesight problems.
Zhao, playing as an amateur as he continues his comeback after a 20-month ban for involvement in a betting scandal, came through four rounds of qualifying.
He also produced a stunning display to thrash O’Sullivan 17-7 with a session to spare in his semi-final.
On Sunday, Zhao, the 2021 UK Championship winner, started in commanding style by taking each of the first three frames, including two century breaks.
Williams reduced fellow left-hander Zhao’s lead to 3-1.
After the mid-session interval, Zhao, only the second player from China to reach the world final after Ding Junhui, restored his three-frame advantage with a break of 57.
Williams found some form with a break of 61, only to misjudge a cannon off a black with the frame at his mercy. He was then unable to make a fine cut on the red and Zhao cleaned up.
Zhao wrapped up the first session in style, making a break of 104 before a superb plant on a red led to a contribution of 83 that put him six frames ahead.
Williams won Sunday evening’s opening two frames.
But Zhao, in his first world final, regained control with a break of 71 to go 8-3 up before taking the next to restore his six-frame lead.
Williams went 23-0 ahead in the 15th frame only to let Zhao back in with a couple of missed reds.
Zhao then produced a superb positional pot, as he went around the angles from red to blue, that sparked an impressive break of 96 and a 10-5 lead.
Williams was on the brink of winning the next frame with a break of 63 only to miss a clinching red. Zhao then held his nerve superbly with a clearance of 71 to restore his six-frame advantage at 11-5.
Sunday’s final frame proved a nervy affair before Williams, benefiting from a fortunate snooker behind the green, reduced his arrears to five frames.
The final resumes at 1200 GMT on Monday.
