Zhao Xintong was struggling to comprehend the magnitude of his achievement after thrashing Ronnie O’Sullivan to reach the 2025 World Snooker Championship final.
The 28 year-old from China produced a scintillating display to thump the seven-time world champion 17-7 with a session to spare.
Resuming for their second session on Friday morning with the scores tied at 4-4, Zhao raced clear with a barrage of impressive break building.
The former UK champion won all eight frames of the session, tallying runs of 115, 112, 87, 82, 67, and a brace of 57s.
O’Sullivan briefly rallied at the start of the third session but ultimately continued to struggle with the confidence he lacked in his new cue.
The deficit was reduced to 12-6, but Zhao subsequently won five out of the next six frames with contributions of 128, 88, 85, 63, and 62 to power through.
The early victory means that the former world number six, competing as an amateur as he continues his comeback from a ban, will enjoy a complete day of rest on Saturday.
That could prove to be vital considering he has fought his way through from the very first round of the qualifying competition in early April.
“I can’t believe it,” a delighted Zhao Xintong told Rob Walker for the World Snooker Tour in his post-match interview.
“Before the match, I never thought I could win that. I’m very happy, because I can’t believe that [I beat him]. I need to say ‘thank you’ for Ronnie.”
“Before, I didn’t think I could win. So I just tried to play like it was an exhibition here and give some nice snooker for the people, for the crowd. I just tried to enjoy that.
“After the second session finished, I was leading by eight frames. But at home, I still didn’t think I could win.
“I know Ronnie can do everything in the Crucible, because he won it seven times. I know he can win an eighth time.
“So I just tried to enjoy that, didn’t think a lot, and just concentrated on the table.”
There was a nice moment after Zhao completed his match-clinching clearance, with O’Sullivan warmly congratulating the victor but the young pretender insisting that the applause should also go to the all-time great.
“I wanted to thank the crowd for Ronnie, because without Ronnie’s help, I don’t think I could get to the final,” Zhao added.
“He helped me a lot before and gave me support, so that [crowd moment] I just gave for Ronnie.”
“I know being in the final and winning the championship is the big dream for Chinese snooker.
“And I know it’s very hard and it’s very far. Now, it’s also very far, because I’ve got one last round.
“I know I’ll play with a top player in the world, so it’s really hard. I know for Ding [Junhui] it was very difficult, because Chinese give some pressure here.
“But I know he can do that, he’s a really good player in China. I will just try, try, and try.
“Hopefully I will be very excited, but I don’t know. I think I will be nervous. Hopefully, no big pressure.
“Every time you tell yourself to be relaxed, but it’s very hard to do that.”
Zhao Xintong will look to collect the jackpot prize worth £500,000 when he contests Sunday and Monday’s World Snooker Championship final.
He may be a qualifier but he has been rated as one of the favourites in the outright betting market from very early on in the competition this year.
You can get Vegas insider odds and picks on snooker and a range of other sports with plenty of sign-up offers and welcomes bonuses also available if you fancy Zhao to continue his progress and etch his name onto the silverware for the first time.
He becomes only the second Chinese player after Ding Junhui in 2016 to reach a Crucible final, awaits the winner of the second semi-final between Judd Trump and Mark Williams.
The two former champions are delicately poised at 8-8 heading into their third and penultimate session on Saturday morning.
It had looked as though Trump might race clear when he established a 7-3 lead at the beginning of the second session.
But the latter fought his way back in trademark fashion to keep things close heading into their third day’s play.
Whoever emerges from that tie may already be at a disadvantage for the final, given how they are likely to finish the encounter and their ensuing media duties late into Saturday night.
Zhao, on the other hand, will be able to put his feet up and watch the pair sweat it out for the second spot in Sunday and Monday’s final.
The Cyclone will know that he is one win away from becoming China’s first world snooker champion and one of the sport’s biggest stars.
For the full 2025 World Snooker Championship draw, results, and schedule, click here.
Featured photo credit: WST
