London, May 3, 2025 – The Europe Today: China’s Zhao Xintong has made history by becoming only the second Asian player to reach the final of the World Snooker Championship, delivering a commanding 17-7 victory over seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan at the Crucible Theatre on Friday.
The semifinal clash, level at 4-4 after Thursday’s opening session, saw a dramatic turn as Zhao swept the second session 8-0, capitalizing on a rare off-day from the 49-year-old O’Sullivan. Maintaining his momentum, the 28-year-old Chinese star cruised through the final session to seal the match with a dominant performance.
“In the past, when I played Ronnie, I’d get nervous because I really wanted to win,” Zhao told the World Snooker Tour. “But I didn’t put too much pressure on myself this time. I felt more relaxed and enjoyed it, and I ended up playing pretty well.”
Zhao’s road to the final is even more remarkable given his return from a 20-month suspension for betting violations. He re-entered competition as an amateur and had to battle through four qualifying rounds to earn his place in the tournament.
Zhao is now just one match away from becoming the first Asian world champion in snooker history, a milestone previously pursued by Ding Junhui, who fell short in the 2016 final against Mark Selby.
In the other semifinal, a gripping battle is unfolding between Mark Williams and world No. 1 Judd Trump. Williams rallied from 7-3 down to level the match at 8-8 heading into Saturday’s decider.
