Higgins Edges Ahead of Williams in Crucible Quarter-Final

John Higgins leads Mark Williams 5-3 in World Championship quarter-final, while Zhao Xintong dominates Chris Wakelin 6-2.

John Higgins holds a 5-3 lead over Mark Williams after the first session of their World Championship quarter-final match. Higgins capitalized on Williams' uncharacteristic errors to take the advantage.

In the other quarter-final match, Zhao Xintong dominated Chris Wakelin, making decisive moves to take a significant lead. The contrast in fortunes between the two matches was notable, with Higgins and Williams engaging in a cautious battle.

One of the all-time great Crucible moments.

John Higgins produced THIS #OTD in 2024. pic.twitter.com/aPxp0GUdTR

— WST (@WeAreWST) April 29, 2025

Chris Wakelin made a strong start against Zhao Xintong, taking the opening frame with a break of 93. However, Zhao responded decisively, winning six consecutive frames to establish a 6-1 lead.

Wakelin managed to steady himself, taking the final frame of the session to reduce the deficit to 6-2. Zhao's remarkable run to the quarter-finals is notable, given his recent challenges, including being one of ten Chinese players sanctioned in a match-fixing scandal last year.

There is nothing to separate Mark Williams and John Higgins! 👏

After a strong performance in the second session from Williams, the score is 8-8. #WorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/8kJ4x7vhkE

— TNT Sports (@tntsports) April 29, 2025

Zhao Xintong accepted charges related to being complicit in another player's match-fixing and betting on matches, resulting in a 20-month ban and loss of his professional World Snooker Tour status.

Despite competing as an amateur, Zhao has shown remarkable form at the tournament, already securing his return to the tour for next season. His performances in Sheffield have highlighted his exceptional talent, making his quarter-final run all the more impressive.

Zhao Xintong's quarter-final run is particularly impressive given the challenge of reaching this stage, which required him to navigate four rounds of qualifying. This meant he had already played seven matches in the competition.

The quarter-final matches will resume later on Tuesday evening, with the semi-final spots on the line. The competition remains intense, with both Higgins vs. Williams and Zhao vs. Wakelin set to intensify as they battle for a place in the next round.

Is that John Higgins or Judd Trump? 🤪#HaloWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/aD3mdda2D7

— WST (@WeAreWST) April 29, 2025