SHEFFIELD — Zhao Xintong, the 28-year-old Chinese snooker prodigy, tore through the Crucible Theatre like a man possessed on May 2, dismantling seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan in a jaw-dropping semi-final session at the 2025 World Snooker Championship. The scoreline—12-4 in Zhao’s favor—tells only half the story of a morning where one man played with the precision of a surgeon and the other looked like he’d forgotten how to hold a cue.
The match, a best-of-33-frame clash, started evenly enough. On May 1, the two traded blows in a lively opening session, knotting things at 4-4. Zhao, a former UK Championship winner competing as an amateur after a 20-month ban for his role in a match-fixing scandal, showed no signs of rust. He fired breaks of 60 and 62 early, while O’Sullivan, the 49-year-old legend chasing a record eighth Crucible crown, answered with three half-centuries of his own. It was a proper scrap, the kind that had fans leaning forward in their seats.
But Friday morning was a different beast. Zhao didn’t just win the session—he obliterated it, sweeping all eight frames in a 8-0 rout, only the fourth time O’Sullivan has been whitewashed in a Crucible session. The Rocket, who’s been open about struggling with a new cue since snapping his old one in January, looked lost. He missed routine pots—blues off the spot, reds he’d normally pocket in his sleep—and his safety play was shaky. Zhao, meanwhile, was ruthless. Every O’Sullivan error became a chance, and Zhao cashed in with breaks that flowed like water: an 87 clearance here, a 69 there, each shot crisp and deliberate.
Zhao’s path to this moment wasn’t easy. Barred from the professional tour after admitting to being party to match-fixing and betting on games, he clawed his way back through four qualifying rounds to reach Sheffield. Now, he’s five frames from the final, with their next session set for Friday evening at 7:00 PM BST. A win would make him the first Chinese player to contest a World Championship final, and on this form, the first amateur to lift the trophy isn’t a stretch.
O’Sullivan, for his part, made changes overnight, swapping the tip and ferrule on his cue after calling it “awful.” It backfired spectacularly. He conceded frames early, barely bothered with snookers, and at times seemed resigned, a shadow of the player who’s dominated snooker for decades. This was his 14th semi-final at the Crucible, a record, but only his third competitive match since January, a gap that’s clearly left him off-kilter.
Across the arena, the other semi-final sees world number one Judd Trump leading Mark Williams 5-3. Their second session resumes Friday afternoon at 2:30 PM BST. The final, a best-of-35-frame showdown, is slated for May 4 and 5, with £500,000 awaiting the winner.
Zhao’s performance drew gasps from the Sheffield crowd and praise from those who’ve seen it all. He’s secured his professional tour card for next season, but on this evidence, he’s not just back—he’s gunning for the sport’s biggest prize. O’Sullivan, meanwhile, faces a mountain to climb if he’s to keep his dream of an eighth title alive.