John Higgins v Xiao Guodong live stream | World Snooker Championship 2025 preview
Higgins and Xiao collide for a place in the quarter-finals (Imaginechina Limited / Alamy Stock Photo)
John Higgins faces Xiao Guodong for the third time in as many events, as the pair collide in the World Championship second round.
Four-time World champion Higgins is aiming to progress to his 19th quarter-final – and fourth in succession – at The Crucible, where Xiao aims to progress beyond this stage for the first time.
The pair have become incredibly familiar in recent times, leading up to the World Championship.
Higgins was a 6-5 winner at the Tour Championship, then prevailed 10-3 on his way to lifting the Tour Championship, continuing his dominance in the head-to-head record, which he now leads 5-1.
The Wizard is appearing in the last 16 in Sheffield for the 27th time, but was forced to battle through his emotions in order to do so. Indeed, he trailed 5-3 against Joe O’Connor, who defeated Mark Selby in the opening round 12 months ago. However, the Scotsman, whose father-in-law was taken ill last week but has since recovered, won seven of the next nine frames to advance.
Higgins will head into the contest with positive memories from his appearance in last year’s second round, when he produced that stunning 71 clearance from 62-0 down in the decider to snatch a dramatic 13-12 victory from under Mark Allen’s nose.
Nevertheless, he will be hoping for a much smoother passage this time around against Xiao, who is looking to reach his 10th quarter-final of a superb season.
The Chinese back at The Crucible for the first time since 2018 – albeit for the first time as a seeded player – and marked his return by brushing Matthew Selt aside 10-4 for only his second win here.
Xiao made two centuries as he passed his first test without too many difficulties, though he knows this one will be a step up as he looks to reach uncharted territory.
A showdown with either three-time World champion Mark Williams or former Shoot Out winner Hossein Vafaei awaits whoever prevails from this best-of-25 clash in the quarter-finals.
The match breaks off at 7pm BST on Thursday with the opening eight frames, resuming with another eight at 2.30pm BST on Friday, before playing to a conclusion at 10am BST on Saturday at The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
How to watch John Higgins v Xiao Guodong live stream
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