Zhao Xintong Stuns Ronnie O’Sullivan to Reach World Snooker Championship Final
In a shocking turn of events, China’s Zhao Xintong produced a scintillating display of attacking snooker to defeat his idol, seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, 17-7 in the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship. The Guardian reports that Xintong’s remarkable victory has set up a final showdown with either Judd Trump or Mark Williams, who are locked in a thrilling semi-final battle.
According to The Guardian, Xintong’s incredible form saw him dominate the match from start to finish, with O’Sullivan unable to respond to the Chinese sensation’s brilliant play. "I can’t believe it," Xintong said, as quoted by The Guardian. "Thank you to Ronnie, he helped me a lot before. He’s my idol." O’Sullivan, gracious in defeat, congratulated his opponent, saying, "Zhao deserves his victory," as reported by The Guardian.
The Guardian notes that O’Sullivan’s participation in the tournament had been in doubt after he withdrew from the Masters in January and every ranking event since due to medical reasons. His only appearance on the tour this year was in the Championship League in January, where he snapped his cue after losing four of his five matches. Despite this, he had comfortably reached the semi-finals at the Crucible, but was unhappy with his form, leading to a change in his tip and ferrule after the first session.
In a post-match interview with The Guardian, O’Sullivan said, "I don’t even know if it was the cue, the ferrule or me. There were three things. I just don’t even know where the white ball’s going. I’m at a loss, to be honest with you. I don’t even know what to say." He added, "Sometimes you’ve got to try something different, you know? It didn’t feel great before so I tried to go back to the old brass ferrule."
The Guardian reports that Xintong’s mid-match dominance was highlighted by his impressive breaks, including 57, 112, and 82, which established an 8-4 lead. O’Sullivan scored just 50 points in those four frames, recording a highest break of 23. The Chinese player continued to punish every missed pot and poor safety, moving 12-4 ahead and eventually securing a 17-7 victory.
John Virgo, commentating for the BBC, praised Xintong’s performance, saying, "Scintillating snooker," as quoted by The Guardian. "What a player. What a future he’s got in the game. To do this to Ronnie O’Sullivan, it’s a phenomenal performance. Changing of the guard maybe, right here, right now."
In the other semi-final, Mark Williams staged a remarkable comeback against Judd Trump, fighting back from a four-frame deficit to level at 8-8, as reported by The Guardian. Williams produced breaks of 105 and 84 before edging a scrappy 13th frame to trail 7-6. Trump took the next frame without any big breaks, but Williams shaded a tense 15th frame, setting up a consummate 96 clearance to ensure parity before the pair resume play on Saturday.
The Guardian understands that Xintong’s victory has raised hopes of a first Chinese world champion, with Ding Junhui being the only Chinese player to reach the final in 2016. With Xintong in brilliant form and seemingly unfazed by the pressure, this could be the moment for China to produce its first world champion. The final will be played on Sunday and Monday, with Xintong set to face either Trump or Williams.
As The Guardian notes, Zhao Xintong’s incredible performance has sent shockwaves through the snooker world, and fans will be eagerly anticipating the final showdown. Will Xintong continue his remarkable run and become China’s first world champion? Only time will tell.
The Guardian will continue to provide updates on the World Snooker Championship as it unfolds.
