Skandal Hit-Zhao Xintong on course to crown Snooker's first Asian world champion after dominating the first day of the final against Mark Williams

Zhao Xintong is on the way to the first Asian world champion of Snooker after dominating the first day of the final.

In the opening meeting on Sunday, the cyclone blown away the three -time tie winner Mark Williams to take the lead 7-1. And while Williams went better in the evening, Zhao still has a healthy advantage of 11: 6 in the resumption on Monday afternoon and only needs another seven frames to make snooker history.

The Chinese star would not only be the first player in his continent who triumphs in the crucible, but the first amateur and only the third qualification game, after Terry Griffiths in 1979 and Shaun Murphy in 2005.

However, if Zhao lifts the trophy, it is not celebrated as if it had received its commitment in Snooker's greatest match fixing scandal. The 28-year-old did not play a game directly, but he received a 20-month ban on participating in another player and relying on games himself.

As a result of his suspension, Zhao was unloaded by the professional tour, which means that he had to join the amateur q tour when he returned to the table last September.

Since then he won 46 of his 48 games and beat the seven -time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan with a meeting on Friday in the semi -finals.

Zhao has

Williams was overwhelmed by the cyclone during the opening session on Sunday in Sheffield in Sheffield

Zhao carried his fantastic shape into the first session of the final on Sunday against Williams, who at 50 years old 22 years old – the greatest age difference between two world finalists.

He raced 3-0 before Williams stopped the putrefaction. However, Zhao won the last four frames of the session. After playing without fear in the afternoon, the aggressive Zhao seemed nervous in the evening session and let Williams go back in with some wild long pots.

The Welsh, who complained in the next month before the tournament that his eyesight has disappeared completely, reduced the deficit to 7-3 and then 9-5 with breaks of 86 and 72.

However, Zhao replied with a 96 and then steel the next frame with a 71 after Williams missed a frame ball red.

And although Williams won the last framework of the day, no player has ever lifted an overnight deficit of more than four frames in a crucible finale.