The culmination of the snooker season is upon us as Mark Williams and John Higgins do battle for the biggest prize in the sport.

Welshman Williams, 43, has the edge after the first two sessions, leading his rival 10-7 as he bids for a third world crown.

The match, between two of snooker's greats, pits 1998 winner Higgins against Williams who won his first title in 2000.

Scot Higgins, 42, is bidding for a fifth world championship, which would draw him level with Ronnie O'Sullivan.

You can follow all the action as it happens from Sheffield's Crucible Theatre LIVE right here.

Semi-finalist Kyren Wilson tweets

Williams with the trophy

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Naked Williams?

Will Mark Williams get naked in the post-match presser?

“As long as Barry Hearn doesn’t fine me I will have to do it!”

Mark Williams speaks

Williams looks close to tears.

12 months ago I wasn’t even here.

I expect him to come back as he is the best at clearing up.

I thought these days were long gone.

Last year I was watching in the caravan with a beer.

It is nice for my lads to be here.

I made a really good break under pressure and I am over the moon.

John Higgins speaks

“Unbelievable occasion great to play against these crowds.

“Today I was 37 behind and just wanted to take it to the last session.

“Tonight I put some pressure on Mark but to no avail.

“Mark is a great champion.

MARK WILLIAMS WINS

And there it is.

Williams wins at the Crucible for the first time since 2003, with the 2000 crown also in his locker.

He got over that wobble well and is a deserved winner.

Ooooh

Williams pretty much wins it...

...and then misses the brown.

Higgins needs two snookers.

34th frame

Williams has started the frame nicely.

He quickly reaches a break of 25 and is going nicely.

Black is well in play as well.

Frame is his to lose from here.

Memories of Davies vs Taylor

17-16 Higgins

Unreal.

From the jaws of defeat, Higgins has pulled himself back into the game.

Williams missed a pink and Higgins rode into the sunset.

Squeaky bum time now.

Williams 17-15

All of a sudden Williams is a frame away from the title!

The slump is over and the Welshman is potting everything in sight.

A break of 100 and that was sensational.

Williams 16-15

Finally Williams gets his name on the scoreboard in the evening session.

A calm break of 74 will eradicate those nerves that were starting to manifest.

Who knows where this match is going now.

Williams now two frames from the title.

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15-15 Higgins

HIGGINS IS LEVEL!!!!

Wowweee!

Williams never gets going again and Higgins simply makes him pay.

The Scot isn’t getting stopped here.

Irresistible stuff.

We're back

Higgins gets us back underway from the mid-session.

All to play for.

Mid session interval

And that is the mid session interval.

Can Williams collect his thoughts away from the arena?

15-14 Higgins

Higgins is unstoppable at the moment.

A 99% pot success rate in the session tells you everything you need to know.

91-0 this frame with a pair of solid breaks.

Williams was given a good chance to get in but over cut a red.

His head looks frazzled.

15-13 Higgins

John Higgins’ cue is a wand tonight.

The magic he is flowing through it is unbelievable.

82 break this time.

Williams hasn’t got away with any of his mistakes, once he falters he is back in his seat for the frame.

Within two frames now.

You can’t take your eyes away from this.

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15-12 Higgins

And Higgins follows it up perfectly with another frame.

Only a tricky off-spot yellow caused him any problem once he arrived at the table.

Williams did not look happy with that.

Higgins has stolen both frames on the black in this session.

15-11 Higgins

What a start to the final session for Higgins - and what an emphatic message he has sent out to Williams.

Knowing he needs eight frames to Williams’ three, he knew he was going to have to produce something special.

That was exactly what he did on the opening frame here.

A spectacular 131 break is the best possible start for Higgins, who is attempting what would be a quite remarkable turnaround.

Game on...

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Williams warming up

Evening session

Annnndddd we’re back.

At some point tonight either Mark Williams or John Higgins will get their hands on the World Snooker Championships trophy again.

Williams is currently 15-10 up and three frames away from victory.

But Higgins’ comeback in the second half of the afternoon session could hint at a thrilling finale.

Here. We. Go.

Afternoon report

Mark Williams was closing in on a third Betfred World Championship title after extending his lead over John Higgins at the Crucible.

At one stage in Monday’s afternoon session Williams looked as though he could cross the winning line without needing to return in the evening.

That did not materialise but by stretching his lead from 10-7 overnight to an even more commanding 15-10, the 43-year-old Welshman was just three frames away from the winning line.

Williams is bidding to add to his 2000 and 2003 triumphs and become the oldest world champion since 45-year-old Ray Reardon’s 1978 success.

He vowed earlier in the tournament to strip off for his post-match press conference if he lands the title, and has said he would stick to that commitment.

Williams reeled off the first four frames of the afternoon as Higgins scored just 31 points.

But it was a different story after the mid-session interval as four-time champion Higgins finally found some fluency as he attempted to avoid a second Crucible final defeat in a row, having lost out to Mark Selby last year.

The last Crucible final to finish with a session to spare was in 1993 when Stephen Hendry beat Jimmy White 18-5.

The slim possibility of another unusually early finish was ended by Higgins winning the first frame after the resumption, with a break of 67 sparing him from what would have been an embarrassing scenario.

Higgins was suddenly right back to his best, and a 72 clearance won him the 23rd frame after Williams had opened with a run of 65.

The Crucible spectators were anticipating a moment of history in the next, as Higgins chased what would have been the first 147 maximum break in a World Championship final.

He sank 10 reds and blacks but then wobbled the 11th red around the jaws of a corner pocket and the chance slipped by.

The break nevertheless put him 14-10 behind with one frame of the afternoon remaining.

Higgins had a chance to cut Williams’ lead even further but missed a difficult red and let in his opponent to make a frame-sealing 34 break.

The scoreline as they departed the arena, ahead of the 7pm resumption, made Williams a resounding favourite to lift the trophy.

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Williams 15-10

Williams is back.

That is what the Welshman needed after a torrid second half to the session.

Breaks of 34 and 44 are enough for him.

Williams will be three frames from his first World title since 2003 when play re-starts at 7pm.

14-10 Higgins

Well, well, well.

Williams has barely got out his seat this session as Higgins takes over the scoring.

Higgins was on for a maximum but misses a relatively simple red.

Still a break of 80 and he is within four frames of Williams.

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14-9 Higgins

Williams goes 65-0 up but he misses a safety and you don’t do that against John Higgins.

Good rearguard action from Higgins with some scrapping snooker.

He looked like he was re-finding his rhythm in that frame.

14-8 Higgins

Is the comeback on?

Higgins compiles a 67 break to take the 22nd frame.

Good start after the interval but he’ll need quite a few more of them to challenge Williams.

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We're back

Williams and Higgins are back in the arena after the mid-session interval.

The Scot gets us back underway with a solid break.

Will we get to the evening session?

Williams 14-7

This is starting to become a rout.

Every time Williams gets to the table be becomes a potting machine.

Amazing stuff.

Higgins needs to regroup his thoughts quickly or this isn’t going to last until the evening.

That brings up the mid-table interval.

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Williams 13-7

Nothing looks like it is going to stop Williams this afternoon.

The Welshman has taken all three frames in the afternoon session.

Breaks of 69 and 56 after Higgins left a red over the middle pocket, and Williams in five frames from the title.

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Williams takes first frame to go 11-7 up

Textbook from the Welshman.

He takes the frame 98-5 to move 11-7 ahead in the match and calm any nerves.