Mark Williams took to social media during a break in the World Snooker Championship final, with the three-time champion trailing Zhao Xintong 17-8.
The 50-year-old Welshman, who is the oldest player ever to reach the final, made two posts on X (formerly Twitter) as he reflected on the match.
Williams appeared to have all but given up hope of an unlikely comeback against his dominant opponent.
Zhao needs just one more frame to become world champion, having largely controlled all three sessions of the match so far.
Mark Williams is on the verge of defeat in the World Championship final
The Chinese player broke out to a 7-1 lead early in the final, with Williams struggling to respond.
Williams was candid in his assessment of his opponent during the mid-match break.
"That was tough - I've not got enough cue power to combat tough conditions like Zhao," Williams posted on social media.
"His cue power is superb. Prob the best potter I've ever seen."
The Welshman's praise came after Zhao had dominated their match, similar to his impressive victory over Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semi-finals.
Williams would need to win 10 frames before Zhao claims one to complete what would be the biggest comeback in World Championship history.
The 50-year-old also thanked fans for their support throughout the tournament.
If Zhao completes the job on Monday evening, he will make history as the first Chinese world champion.
He would also become only the third qualifier to win the title after Shaun Murphy and Terry Griffiths.
Remarkably, Zhao entered the tournament as an amateur, having lost his tour card due to his suspension.
Zhao Xintong is on the verge of becoming the first ever Chinese world champion
|Reuters
If victorious, the 28-year-old will earn £500,000 and move to 11th in the world rankings.
He would also secure second seed status in tournaments for the next year.
Ronnie O'Sullivan believes a Zhao victory would elevate him to "megastar" status, particularly in China.
"If he did win, he would be a megastar," O'Sullivan said after his own Crucible exit.
Zhao's path to the final comes after serving a 20-month ban for his involvement in a betting scandal in 2023.
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Zhao Xintong had previously served a 20-month ban for match-fixing
|Reuters
He resumed his comeback on the Q Tour last September, winning an impressive 46 of his 48 subsequent matches.
This included sweeping through four qualifying rounds, a record for a prospective winner.
While his potential victory might divide some fans given his ban, snooker chief Barry Hearn defended Zhao.
"He has served a ban for what some people would call a very minor offence," Hearn said.
"When you've paid a price for something the slate's clear, otherwise you have no life forever."