Ronnie O’Sullivan and Zhao Xintong began their semi-final evenly matched, finishing the opening session tied at 4–4. The first eight frames on Thursday saw momentum swing back and forth.
Zhao, a first-time Crucible semi-finalist, took the first two frames before O’Sullivan hit back by winning three in a row. Zhao then steadied himself, claiming the last frame of the session with an impressive break of 86 to draw level. That fluent finish by the Chinese player even came with a bizarre twist, a powerfully potted black ball during the break damaged a corner pocket of the table. It left the contest finely poised at four frames apiece after the opening best-of-33 session (semi-finals are played over four sessions, first to 17 frames).
Heading into Friday’s play, seven-time world champion O’Sullivan made a bold equipment tweak. He had the tip and ferrule on his cue replaced overnight, having labelled his previous tip “awful” before the match. Unfortunately for O’Sullivan, the adjustment did not have the desired effect. In the second session on Friday morning, the 49-year-old struggled with uncharacteristic errors and missed pots despite the fresh tip. Zhao, sensing vulnerability, punished every mistake ruthlessly. Frame after frame slipped away from O’Sullivan; notably, on several occasions, he elected not to battle on for snookers when behind, a sign of his waning confidence. “Ronnie is probably a little bit embarrassed about what’s happening out there,” observed 1997 world champion Ken Doherty on BBC commentary, adding that O’Sullivan was “not fighting” in frames and that his body language was “worrying”. By the end of the session, O’Sullivan had lost all eight frames, a 0-8 whitewash, leaving him shell-shocked and staring at a 4–12 deficit.
This marked only the fourth time in O’Sullivan’s illustrious career that he has been whitewashed in a full session at the Crucible. It was a rare feat previously achieved by only three other players (John Higgins, Graeme Dott and John Parrott) in World Championship history against “the Rocket”. The abrupt collapse means O’Sullivan now needs an extraordinary comeback in the remaining sessions to keep alive his bid for a record eighth world title. Trailing 12–4 in a best-of-33 encounter, he must win 13 of the last 17 frames – a monumental challenge against an in-form opponent.
While O’Sullivan faltered, Zhao Xintong produced scintillating snooker in the morning session to seize control. The 28-year-old left-hander showcased why he is regarded as one of the game’s brightest talents, compiling a string of heavy breaks and capitalising on every opportunity. Before the mid-session interval, Zhao fired in breaks of 57 (twice), 82, and a superb 112 century, storming into an 8–4 lead as O’Sullivan managed only 50 points in those four frames. There was no let-up after the interval: Zhao opened the next frame with a 67 and then added a clinical 115 clearance in the following frame. Those two centuries (112 and 115) underlined his dominance and had the Crucible crowd in awe. In the penultimate frame of the session, O’Sullivan missed a routine yellow, allowing Zhao back to eventually extend the score to 11–4. Fittingly, Zhao finished the session in style, wrapping up the eighth frame on the spin with a break of 87 after O’Sullivan inexplicably missed a simple blue to a middle pocket.
Zhao’s confident potting and break-building drew high praise from commentators and fans alike. Veteran BBC commentator John Virgo lauded the Chinese star’s display as “scintillating snooker… what a player, what a future he’s got in the game,” even suggesting it felt like a “changing of the guard” moment as O’Sullivan was humbled. Indeed, Zhao’s 8–0 Session whitewash of the sport’s most decorated player was a staggering statement. The usually fluent O’Sullivan was limited to a highest break of just 23 in the entire morning, underlining how completely Zhao dictated play.
By moving 12–4 ahead, Zhao Xintong stands on the verge of a place in the World Championship final – and with it, a chance to make history. He needs just five more frames (out of a possible 17 remaining) to clinch victory and reach the final. Should he get there, Zhao would become only the second player from Asia ever to contest a Crucible final, following China’s Ding Junhui, who was runner-up in 2016. Moreover, Zhao is bidding to achieve what Ding could not: to become the first Chinese player to lift snooker’s most prestigious trophy. His performance so far in Sheffield suggests he is a serious contender for that honour.
Zhao’s run is all the more remarkable considering the turbulence in his recent career. A former UK Championship winner (in 2021), he spent 20 months suspended from professional competition as part of a match-fixing investigation, only returning to the circuit in 2024. Having dropped out of the elite rankings, Zhao came into this event as an unseeded qualifier. Yet he has stormed through the field, displaying the pedigree that once took him to world number six. Now, with his place in the title match within touching distance, Zhao appears unfazed by the Crucible’s pressure. “What a phenomenal performance… right here, right now,” Virgo remarked of Zhao’s composure against O’Sullivan.
Meanwhile, O’Sullivan faces an almost insurmountable task to turn the semi-final around. The best-of-33 format does offer a glimmer of hope – there are two more sessions scheduled (Friday evening and Saturday) for the six-time Crucible champion to try and claw back the deficit. O’Sullivan is renowned for producing moments of magic under pressure, but recovering from 4-12 against a player of Zhao’s calibre would be one of the greatest escapes in snooker history. His focus will be on winning the third session frame by frame to apply any semblance of pressure on Zhao going into a possible final session comeback.
As things stand, Zhao Xintong is firmly on course to meet either Judd Trump or Mark Williams in the final on Sunday and Monday. In the other semi-final, world number one Judd Trump held a 5–3 lead over three-time champion Mark Williams after their first session. That match resumes later on Friday and will conclude on Saturday. Zhao will be keeping an eye on that contest, but his immediate concern is closing out the two frames he needs against O’Sullivan when play resumes. If the Chinese star maintains his current form, he could secure his final berth as early as Saturday afternoon.
