World Snooker Championship 2026 | Day Two Preview and Order of Play
Williams and Kowalski play to a finish on Sunday (Credit: PA Images)
Mark Williams requires four more frames against debutant Antoni Kowalski to book his place in the last 16 at this year’s World Championship.
Day two at the Crucible Theatre sees two of the game’s all-time greats in action, along with three former World finalists, with four more players set to progress to the second round.
Three-time World champion Williams is in a strong position to reach that stage in Sheffield for the 23rd time, at 6-3 up against Kowalski.
The Welshman, who is 29 years his opponent’s senior, had already won two of his three World titles by the time the Pole was born in 2004.
Kowalski was quick out of the blocks on his Crucible debut with an 82 in the opening frame and held his own to be level at 6-3, but Williams’ experience told as he established a commanding lead overnight.
Barry Hawkins is also in a strong position to reach the last 16 at 7-2 to the good against Matthew Stevens, who will be desperate to extend his first Crucible appearance since 2022.
Runner-up in 2000 and 2005, Stevens led 2-1 in the battle of the former finalists, but 2013 runner-up Hawkins reeled off the next six frames to close in on a first victory in Sheffield for five years.
Elsewhere, four-time champion John Higgins begins his 32nd successive Crucible appearance with a tricky first-round clash against two-time runner-up Ali Carter.
Higgins, also a four-time runner-up here, has reached the quarter-finals in each of the last three years, and arrives having been to three finals this season.
Carter, finalist in 2008 and 2012, beat Julien Leclercq and Anthony McGill to secure his 22nd Crucible appearance, though he has not won here since 2019.
Ding Junhui launches his 20th consecutive Crucible campaign against two-time semi-finalist David Gilbert, with what will be only the 2016 runner-up’s fourth match of 2026.
Mark Allen, a semi-finalist in 2009 and 2023, has work to do at 5-3 down against Zhang Anda, who is eyeing a first ever win at the Crucible on his sixth appearance.
The all-Chinese battle between Xiao Guodong is Zhou Yuelong is finely poised, with the former holding a narrow 5-4 advantage.
Play breaks off at 10am BST on Sunday with all first-round matches contested over the best of 19 frames at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
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World Snooker Championship 2026 Day Two Schedule
*Indicates final session
Sunday April 19
Round One
10am
Ding Junhui v David Gilbert
Mark Allen (3-5) Zhang Anda*
2.30pm
John Higgins v Ali Carter
Barry Hawkins (7-2) Matthew Stevens*
7pm
Xiao Guodong (4-5) Zhou Yuelong*
Mark Williams (6-3) Antoni Kowalski*