China’s first Crucible king Zhao Xintong defeated his compatriot and fellow trailblazer Ding Junhui 13-9 to make the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The eyes of a country were trained on proceedings with China’s two most significant snooker stars locking horns. Junhui inspired his nation when he made a breakthrough as an 18-year-old with victory over Stephen Hendry in the 2005 China Open final, while Xintong provided the high point of a country-wide fascination in snooker with his 18-12 win over Mark Williams in the 2025 world final.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
29-year-old Xintong is aiming to break the Crucible Curse, which has seen every first time World Champion fail to defend their title the following year at the Theatre of Dreams. So far 20 players have fallen foul of the curse. Next up for Xintong in his pursuit of history is a quarter-final meeting with 2005 World Champion Shaun Murphy.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Defeat for Junhui means a difficult run of results in snooker’s biggest event continues. The 39-year-old hasn’t been beyond the second round since 2018.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They came into this morning with Xintong holding a slender 9-7 following the opening two sessions. When play resumed there was a marathon 46-minute frame which went the way of Junhui to leave the tie in the balance at 9-8.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Xintong regained the initiative with two on the bounce, before Junhui crafted a break of 76 to make it 11-9. From there it was Xintong who burst for the line, making 108 to move within a frame of victory and then crafting runs of 43 and 44 to get over the line.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Before the match I said I just wanted to enjoy it and not put myself under pressure. It wasn’t like that. We knew everyone had their eyes on us. I couldn’t enjoy it. I am really happy I won though and when we finished I talked with Junhui and he just said to keep going,” said World Champion Xintong.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It felt much different to last year. Before I was just another player. I could lose last year. This year I don’t want to lose and the pressure is coming. I hope next round I can improve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I know Shaun Murphy is a very good attacking player. Hopefully we have a very good game. Please tell him, no safety! All out attack.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ronnie O’Sullivan leads John Higgins 9-7 after a thrilling penultimate session of their second round showdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the 73rd meeting in one of snooker\u2019s greatest rivalries, with seven-time champion O\u2019Sullivan leading 39-33 against four-time winner Higgins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
O’Sullivan arrived in Sheffield off the back of a moment of history, crafting snooker’s highest ever break of 153 during a run to the Wuhan Open final. Higgins is yet to register silverware, but has made finals at the Masters, International Championship and the Players Championship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last night’s opening session saw O’Sullivan dominate proceedings to move 6-2 in front. Higgins had it all to do and made a strong start to the evening with 83 to reduce his arrears. 41-time ranking event winner O’Sullivan responded immediately with breaks of 116 and 80 to make it 8-3. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next two frames were traded to leave the Rocket with a hefty 9-4 cushion, before Scotland’s Higgins showed his grit in the Crucible cauldron. A break of 71 in the 14th made it 9-5, before he claimed a dramatic last two frames of the session on the black to end just two behind at 9-7. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Australia’s Neil Robertson moved 10-6 ahead of Chris Wakelin ahead of the concluding session of their second round clash.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2010 Crucible king is aiming for revenge against Wakelin, who he was beaten by 10-8 in the opening round of last year’s World Championship. Robertson is aiming to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2021 and he hasn’t appeared in the single table semi-finals since 2014. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Robertson arrives in Sheffield off the back of a strong season, which was highlighted by winning the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. Former Shoot Out champion Wakelin captured his first full format ranking crown at the Scottish Open. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They came into this afternoon locked level at 4-4 and the opening stages today were equally closely contested. However, with Robertson leading 7-6, breaks of 65, 65 and 101 helped him take the last three of the session and end 10-6 in front. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Robertson will require three more frames when they conclude today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, world number one Judd Trump took the last three of the session to finish 9-7 up on Iran’s Hossein Vafaei.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump crafted contributions of 100, 74 and 94 to end the day with the lead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other table, world number 10 Wu Yize finished 9-7 up on four-time World Champion Mark Selby. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Talented 22-year-old Wu requires four more frames to beat Selby for the first time in his career, having lost their previous meetings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wu led 9-6 heading into the final frame of the evening, where Selby summoned a crucial break of 81 to remain in touch at just two behind. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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