He potted a ball earlier on with his eyes closed, and it is another one for the highlights' reel as Williams doubles a red into the middle.

The resulting missed black off the spot may well not make the highlights though. 0-1

Here we go, frame one of nine tonight. Get comfortable, this is going to be good.

Fifteen years after his last world championship final, Mark Williams has a lead but there is still a long, long way to go.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

I tried to win every session and then the championship takes care of itself but sometimes you're going to have bad sessions and then it's about damage limitations and trying to come out with the best result possible.

It's a cliche but you have to play one shot at a time and you can't think too far ahead. Certainly I think it helped me to think I can beat my opponent early, you can break the back of your opponent early in two or three sessions in a final like this.

Manchester United and ex-England midfielder Michael Carrick has had his hands on the trophy at the Crucible during the interval.

BBC Sport app users may need to click on the link to see the tweet.

BBC Two

And we are back on BBC Two so press the play button at the top of the page to watch along.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

Personally I didn't really look at the sessions, you just play one frame at a time. It's a bit like the golfing world where you're just playing one hole at a time and not looking too far ahead and not looking too far into the past.

Despite a late finish to his semi-final yesterday, Mark Williams stormed out of the blocks in this final as he raced into a 4-0 lead.

A century break of 119 from John Higgins - the only ton of the opening session - brought it back to 4-1 before Williams responded with an effort of 95 to restore his four-frame advantage.

However, four-time world champion Higgins took the final two frames of the afternoon to leave it 5-3 to Williams. We have another nine frames scheduled tonight before tomorrow's conclusion.

Feeling refreshed?

Good. Now, where were we?

And, inspired by Mark Williams, we are going to grab loads of crisps, chocolate and Wine Gums. We will be back at 18:55 BST for all the action in session two. Hope to see you then.

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre

Image source, PA

Two-time champion Mark Williams opened up a surprise 5-3 lead over four-time winner John Higgins in the final of the World Championship in Sheffield.

Despite a late-night semi-final finish on Saturday, Williams made a quick start by going 4-0 in front.

Higgins hit back by taking three of the next four, including the only century break of the first session in the fifth frame, to trail by two.

The best-of-35 final resumes at 19:00 BST with nine more frames to be played today.

Martin Warren: Think John Higgins will be the happier of the two players going in to the evening session of this final. Trailing 4-0 to Mark Williams, I thought he was in danger of letting it slip away but fair play only 5-3 and all to play for.

Thomas Frost: Great recovery from John this. From 4-0 down to be only 5-3 down, he’ll settle for that. Both players should be relatively content with how the session went.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

At 4-0 down he needed a frame quickly and to do it convincingly in one visit with a century break was huge.

In the first four frames I don't think I've ever seen John as uncomfortable in a major final as he was.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

Superb from John Higgins' perspective, he'll be delighted with the way he's closed that session out. While Mark Williams obviously has the jump on him, he looks a lot more comfortable at the end of that session than he did at the start.

It has been damage limitation, but John Higgins, who was 4-0 down, has taken three of the past four frames to end session one trailing 5-3.

Mark Williams, although happy to be leading, may feel he has let Higgins off the hook.

Higgins looks to be out of position but doubles the red into the left middle. Lovely.

But that is the end of break after scoring 59, although the last red is hidden behind blue, pink and brown and Williams needs a snooker. 59-21

A good effort from Higgins to navigate his way around a tricky-looking table. He is up to 52 to extend our run of half-century breaks to five successive frames. Still more to do though for him to win this one. 52-21.

Angela Devine: Trying to come to terms with the fact that as of Tuesday I’ll have some serious snooker withdrawals

A missed red from Williams gives Higgins a chance to end a miserable session for him on a high note. But there is an awful lot of work to do with the reds all over the place and the pink where the brown ball should be. 0-21

Frame eight. Messy.

Image source, .