Ronnie O’Sullivan and Zhao Xintong Locked in Thrilling World Championship Semi-Final
The World Championship semi-final between Ronnie O’Sullivan and Zhao Xintong got off to a thrilling start at the Crucible Theatre, with the pair locked at 4-4 after an entertaining opening session. According to a report from the BBC, the seven-time champion O’Sullivan found himself on the back foot early on, as China’s Zhao Xintong, a former UK champion competing as an amateur, stormed into a 2-0 lead with impressive breaks of 60 and 62.
Zhao, 28, showed remarkable composure to take the early advantage, despite being the underdog in the match. As the BBC notes, "China’s Zhao, 28, a former UK champion who is competing as an amateur, showed few signs of nerves having reached the single table set-up for the first time." However, O’Sullivan, 49, who is appearing at this stage of the competition for the 14th time, demonstrated his trademark resilience to fight back and take the next three frames, leading 3-2.
The players then engaged in a thrilling exchange of frames, with Zhao hitting an 86 to draw level at 4-4. The BBC reports that Zhao "broke the right corner pocket potting the black" as he crafted his century break. The match, which is scheduled to be played over four sessions, will resume on Friday at 10:00 BST.
In a statement to the BBC, it was clear that O’Sullivan and Zhao Xintong are evenly matched, with the pair trading blows throughout the session. As the BBC notes, "The players then traded frames, with Zhao breaking the right corner pocket potting the black while crafting an 86 to draw level at 4-4." This thrilling contest is set to continue on Friday, with the winner set to face either Mark Williams or Judd Trump in the final.
Meanwhile, Mark Williams and Judd Trump, the 2019 Crucible champion, are set to start their semi-final tonight at 19:00 BST. The BBC reports that this match is expected to be a closely contested affair, with both players looking to gain a crucial advantage in the best-of-33 frame match.
The World Championship semi-finals are set to be some of the most thrilling matches of the season, with the likes of O’Sullivan, Zhao Xintong, Williams, and Trump all vying for a spot in the final. As the BBC notes, O’Sullivan and Zhao Xintong’s match is "due to be played over four sessions", and fans will be eagerly anticipating the resumption of play on Friday. With both players evenly matched, this contest is set to go down to the wire.
This article is based on a report from the BBC, which can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/articles/cy70zk7klrjo. As the source notes, "Their best-of-33 frame match, due to be played over four sessions, will resume on Friday at 10:00 BST." The BBC provides in-depth coverage of the World Championship, and their expert analysis and reporting can be found throughout the tournament.
