Watch - Crucible debutant and announcer try to get in Mark Williams' head to no avail

3-time Snooker World Champion Mark Williams wasn't in a mercyful mood for the start of his Snooker World Championship journey in 2026. The Welshman faced Polish national hero Antoni Kowalski in the first round after the Pole's qualifier journey to become the first man from his country at the Crucible.

The match itself wasn't particularly memorable, but there where a few fun and light-hearted moments that hit the headlines. The wholesome atmosphere actually started prior to the match, with announcer Rob Walker poking fun at Williams for his more seasoned body comparing to his opponent on the day.

Check out Walker's cheeky Mark Williams intro here

Famously struggling with problems with his vision, Williams' goal to add to his World title tally continued with aplomb after a slow 3-3 start. The world ranking #6 stormed ahead to a 10-4 victory, but even if Kowalski didn't have the last laugh, he did get a chuckle from the commentators and crowd.

Williams just about managed to keep his poker face in check, but seeing the young Pole start his Crucible journey by potting "in reverse" as he himself has made famous surely had him grinning on the inside.

You can find the shot in question at 0:55 in this video.



- Antoni is an incredible potter, I can't hit the long pots he can anymore. I knew he'd struggle making his debut, so I tried to stick to my strengths and play with discipline. He showed some inexperience, but he'll improve, Williams told WST after the match.

The other game in the evening session was a Chinese affair. Xiao Guodong ended up on top against his good friend Zhou Yuelong with a scoreline of 10-6. Xiao joins fellow countryman and reigning World Champ Zhao Xintong in the second round.

The Snooker World Championship continues today with more first round clashes.

Below you can find the schedule, scores and results from the first round in full.






Source: WST