Please note that this is NOT an official website. At this point in time Ronnie O’ Sullivan does not have an official website, nor does he wish to have one.
Making a record-extending 34th consecutive appearance at the Crucible, Ronnie O’Sullivan fired three centuries in a 10-2 thrashing of He Guoqiang to earn a blockbuster tie with John Higgins in the second round of the Halo World Championship.
O’Sullivan had played in just nine tournaments this season before arriving in Sheffield so may lack the match sharpness of some of his rivals, but on the evidence of this emphatic victory over China’s He, his game is ready for a tilt at a record eighth Crucible crown. Snooker’s all-time greatest player lifted the trophy in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022 and admits his only remaining ambition is to go one ahead of Stephen Hendry’s tally of seven.
His next test will be a fascinating clash with fellow ‘Class of ’92’ member Higgins, over 25 frames on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It will be a seventh match at the Crucible between the pair, equalling the record for the most frequent meetings at the Theatre of Dreams, first set by Steve Davis and Terry Griffiths who played on seven occasions, and matched by Stephen Hendry and Jimmy White. Higgins and O’Sullivan first went head to head here in 1996 as 20-year-olds, and will now meet again having both turned 50.
O’Sullivan v Higgins at the Crucible
2022 Semi-final – O’Sullivan 17-11 Higgins
2011 Quarter-final – Higgins 13-10 O’Sullivan
2007 Quarter-final – Higgins 13-9 O’Sullivan
2001 Final – O’Sullivan 18-14 Higgins
1998 Semi-final – Higgins 17-9 O’Sullivan
1996 Quarter-final – O’Sullivan 13-12 Higgins
O’Sullivan took a 7-2 lead against debutant He in Tuesday’s opening session, making breaks of 72, 97, 113, 52 and 86. Today’s concluding session, which had former England and Manchester United footballer Paul Scholes among the crowd, lasted just 35 minutes as world number 12 O’Sullivan added runs of 62, 113 and 100, taking his overall tally of centuries at the Crucible to 217.
He is the 13th seed into the second round, and if Mark Selby, Si Jiahui and Neil Robertson all follow him, it will be the first time in Crucible history that all 16 seeds have beaten the qualifiers.
Here are the scores and stats for the match:
And some images shared on social media
Despite not looking at his very best, Ronnie scored heavily in the balls as the match stats show. The opening match is never easy for the seeds, so it’s a good result.
I’m not particularly thrilled about round 2 though because John is someone who has often caused Ronnie serious problems and, if anything, Ronnie tends to give him a bit too much respect.
Three matches were played to a conclusion yesterday, with Judd Trump, Wu Yize and Shaun Murphy all getting to the second round. So far, none of the seeded players has lost his opening match.
Ronnie started his campaign yesterday and took a healthy lead over his young opponent He Guoqiang.
The reports shared by WST are comprehensive and I have nothing to add. Here they are:
Wu Yize, the breakthrough player of the season, reached another milestone as he won a match at the Crucible for the first time with a resounding 10-2 victory over Lei Peifan in the first round of the Halo World Championship.
Wu built a commanding 8-1 lead in the first session on Monday with breaks of 93, 92, 85, 67, 58 and 105, and within 37 minutes of the restart the tie was over. Lei – who knocked out Kyren Wilson at this stage last year – pulled one back with a break of 69, but Wu’s run of 68 make it 9-2 and he finished in style with a 116.
China’s 22-year-old Wu turned pro in 2021 and made steady progress up the rankings in his first few seasons before taking a giant leap this term. In November he landed a first ranking title at the International Championship, beating the likes of Judd Trump and Zhao Xintong before a 10-6 defeat of John Higgins in the final, which boosted him into the world’s top 16 for the first time and he is now ranked tenth. Wu also came within a few pots of reaching the final of the Johnstone’s Paint Masters on his debut in January, losing narrowly 6-5 to Kyren Wilson.
The exciting break-builder with a fast and fluent style made his Crucible debut in 2023, losing 10-3 to Neil Robertson, then got much closer to Mark Williams last year, beaten 10-8. He is now into the last 16 in Sheffield and will face Mark Selby or Jak Jones in his first ever best-of-25 frame match on Sunday and Monday. Wu’s victory continues the sequence of seeds making it into round two, with all nine completed matches so far going in favour of the top-16 ranked player.
“It is my dream to win it,” said Wu. “I don’t know if I can do that, but I will give 100 per cent and enjoy each match. I’m really happy to get my first win at the Crucible, it’s another breakthrough for me. Overall I think I played pretty well, especially on the attacking side. I managed to take the chances I was given. Hopefully I can keep this good form going.
“It feels amazing. This venue feels truly unique. For me, the best venues are the Crucible and Alexandra Palace for the Masters, playing here is a real enjoyment for every player. I hope I can play even better, put aside distractions and finish the season well.“
Wu has been tipped by Ronnie O’Sullivan as a future world number one and World Champion and he admits that those words have given him more self belief. “It definitely gave me huge encouragement and made me feel I have the ability to compete with the very best,” Wu added. “I will just keep working hard and chasing the dream.“
Ronnie O’Sullivan built a commanding 7-2 advantage over He Guoqiang, after the first session of their opening round tie at the Halo World Championship in Sheffield.
The Rocket is embarking on his 34th Crucible campaign and is gunning for history. O’Sullivan knows that an eighth World Championship victory this year would move him clear of Stephen Hendry’s seven Crucible crowns, a goal he has admitted is his main career ambition going forward.
In a season where O’Sullivan has appeared sparingly, this is only his second UK based tournament of the campaign. However, he showed signs of his dazzling best at the recent World Open, when he reached the final and made a 153, the highest break of all-time.
China’s He defeated compatriot Long Zehuang and Jack Lisowski to qualify. His head-to-head record with O’Sullivan is level at 1-1, having beaten O’Sulllivan at last season’s English Open. However, he has left himself a mammoth task to score a match win at the sport’s most iconic venue.
Breaks of 72, 97 and 113 helped O’Sullivan to a flying start and the first five frames this afternoon. He dug deep and clawed back the next two frames, including a break of 77, to trail 5-2.
O’Sullivan responded by taking the last two of the sessions, with contributions of 52 and 86 to end 7-2 ahead. The Englishman will require three more frames for victory when the resume tomorrow afternoon at 2:30pm.
World number one Judd Trump won five of the last six frames to surge to a comfortable 10-5 win over Gary Wilson at the Halo World Championship.
Trump arrived in Sheffield with his place at the summit of the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings under threat. However, victory today means that the only way he can be usurped is Neil Robertson becoming World Champion.
The 31-time ranking event winner is aiming to capture snooker’s biggest prize for just the second time in his career, having beaten John Higgins in the 2019 title match.
Today’s encounter was a repeat of Trump’s semi-final victory during that run. Seven years later Wilson, who made the final of this season’s Wuhan Open, cut a disconsolate figure after today’s defeat and bemoaned his recent form.
Trump held a 5-4 advantage coming into this evening’s session, having rallied from 4-1 down this morning. Wilson crafted contributions of 58 and 33 in the opener tonight to regain parity, but Trump responded by taking two on the bounce to open up a 7-5 cushion. He continued his momentum in the next, making 71 to lead 8-5 at the mid-session.
When play resumed Trump extended his advantage further and then made a 69 break in the 15th to get over the line and secure victory. The Ace in the Pack progresses to the second round for the 14th time in his career. A meeting with either Hossein Vafaei or Si Jiahui awaits him.
“Gary is a great player, he’s won three ranking events and was always going to be tricky. I just tried to keep my composure. I knew if I played my best I’d have a great chance of winning. He started off well and all the long pots were going in there. I just had to try and stick in there in the first session,” said 36-year-old Trump.Â
“When it got to 8-5, I could sense a little bit of his confidence was draining and he was going for some rash shots. I knew for me it was then the time to step up.
“There have been a lot of times I’ve come in over the last ten years when I have been favourite. When you don’t win it is a bit of a let down. There is maybe more expectation on Xintong and Ronnie this year. It is easier for the likes of me, Neil Robertson and Mark Selby to go under the radar.Â
“It is always nice to be introduced as the world number one. You get a bit of a buzz. I’ve held that for just under two years so it would be nice to go into the break knowing I will come back as world number one. That is a little milestone it would be nice to tick off.“
A downbeat Wilson said: “Everyone might think I had a good start but deep down I’m struggling. It can be masked sometimes and look like you are playing alright. Really any shot is missable. When they are going in, those who aren’t snooker players think I’m playing well but I’m just waiting for the next opportunity to miss an easy ball.
“Since I was 13 I have always been a much better player than I’m showing these days. I just can’t physically cue the ball. It is very debilitating. I’ve said this over the last few years. It isn’t a new story. It is progressively getting worse and worse. I don’t know if there is an answer.”
Shaun Murphy escaped a huge Crucible shock as he made a marvellous clearance in the deciding frame to beat Fan Zhengyi 10-9 in the first round of the Halo World Championship.
Trailing by 36 points at 9-9 with four reds left – and two of them close to the top cushion – Murphy was in danger of becoming the first seeded player to exit this year’s tournament, at the hands of world number 63 Fan. But he fashioned a tremendous break of 50 then celebrated with multiple fist pumps as an enthralled crowd applauded at the end of the most dramatic contest of the Championship so far.
“I can’t believe I won the match from that position, the way the balls were,” said 43-year-old Murphy. “It’s the best break I have ever made, given what was at stake, and I am so proud. The most nerve-racking thing I have done outside snooker was my driving test and this was 50 times worse.”
World number eight Murphy is into the last 16 for the 16th time and will meet Xiao Guodong on Thursday and Friday. With Judd Trump also into the second round, all 11 completed matches so far have gone in favour of the seeded player. Champion in 2005, Murphy is looking to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2021 when he was runner-up to Mark Selby.
The first two frames tonight were shared to leave Murphy 6-5 ahead, then in the 12th he got the two snookers he needed on the last red and cleared to force a respotted black, only for China’s Fan to double it into a baulk corner. Again they traded frames, then in the 15th Fan had a clear chance to go ahead but missed a routine black when he led 25-19 and Murphy’s 39 made it 8-7.
The Englishman was on 51 in the next when he ran out of position, then had to watch Fan thump in a long red and clear with 79. Once again Murphy edged ahead – leading for the seventh time – by dominating frame 17, only for Fan to control the next for 9-9.
Murphy had two early chances in the decider but could only muster 17 points, then Fan made 38 before running out of position. Leading 53-17, Fan attempted a tough red to a centre pocket which would surely have settled the result, but it hit the far jaw and handed Murphy his opening. The key shot was a superb pink to knock two reds off the top cushion, and from there he kept his composure to clear to the pink.
“I have no idea how I did it, I was preparing my losing speech,” added Murphy. “Fan played a great match and he had more than a foot in the last 16. I didn’t want to be the first seed to lose.“
Ding Junhui is still considered the Godfather of Chinese snooker and he will have the chance to take on reigning Crucible king Zhao Xintong on the biggest stage, having seen off David Gilbert 10-5 in the opening round.
Ding’s success goes back to 2005 when he won the China Open and UK Championship – which proved the catalyst for the explosion of interest in snooker in his country. He now has 15 ranking titles – including three UK crowns – to his name though the world title has always eluded him, his best run coming in 2016 when he was runner-up to Mark Selby.
Zhao is at the crest of the wave of players who followed in Ding’s footsteps, and last year became the first from Asia to conquer the Crucible. This year there were a record 11 Chinese players in the last 32 at the Theatre of Dreams, and Ding will face Zhao in a last 16 tie which starts on Friday and is sure to generate gargantuan interest in their home country.
This has been a quiet season so far for 39-year-old Ding and he is yet to reach a ranking semi-final. When he lost to Marco Fu in the qualifying round of the World Open in February he looked likely to drop out of the elite top 16 as he had not qualified for any events leading up to Sheffield. However results went his way and he clung on to 16th spot, and against Gilbert he showed indications of a return to form. If he can replicate that level he will provide a fascinating test for in-form Zhao.
Ding led 7-2 overnight having made breaks of 94, 74, 100, 72 and 52 in the first session. Gilbert took the opening frame today and in the next he led 57-1 when he ran out of position then missed a mid-range red, and Ding capitalised with a 65 clearance for 8-3. In frame 12, Ding led 30-1 when he missed the black off its spot, gifting Gilbert the chance top ignite a fight back with a run of 78.
Up 68-6 in the 13th, Ding needed just one more red, but an attempted plant wobbled in the jaws of a top corner. He later missed the reds when attempting safety and Gilbert’s excellent 59 narrowed his deficit to 8-5 at the interval. However Ding regained the initiative with a break of 106, then in frame 15 Gilbert missed a risky brown to a baulk corner when he led 36-0, and Ding’s 61 helped him past the winning line.
“The frame to go 8-3 up was really crucial,” said Ding, who is playing at the Crucible for the 20th consecutive year and is into the second round for the 13th time. “To win that frame was very important because David played well in the frames before the interval.
“In the end, it doesn’t really matter who wins (against Zhao). Let’s see if at this year’s World Championship we can have a situation like at the World Grand Prix Hong Kong, where it came down to only Chinese players in the semi-finals. That way, no matter who wins, the title still goes to a Chinese player.
“Achieving good results can help bring more recognition to snooker in China and attract more people to follow and learn the sport. I think it’s even more important to help raise the overall competitive level of Chinese snooker.”
John Higgins reached the last 16 of the Halo World Championship for the 12th year in a row by beating Ali Carter 10-7, raising hopes of a second round clash with fellow legend Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Not since 2014, when he lost to Alan McManus, has Higgins fallen at the first hurdle and with a dozen consecutive wins at that stage he has the longest active streak of any player. Two-time Crucible finalist Carter was among the toughest qualifiers to draw, and Higgins looked in danger when he lost five frames in a row to trail 5-4, but he proved the stronger player today to take six of the last eight frames.
Scotland’s 50-year-old Higgins has enjoyed an impressive level of consistency this season, reaching three finals and three semi-finals, albeit missing out on silverware. He hopes to finish the campaign with another deep run and would relish the opportunity to take on O’Sullivan, though the Rocket must first overcome the challenge of He Guoqiang. Higgins and O’Sullivan have previously met six times at the Crucible, most recently in 2022 when the Englishman won 17-11 in the semi-finals.
Trailing 5-4 going into today’s concluding session, Higgins took the first two frames today with breaks of 63 and 81. Carter responded with a run of 106 before Higgins dominated the next to lead 7-6 at the interval. Frame 14 proved crucial as Carter had a chance to snatch it from 40-8 down, but on 54 he missed a tough pot on the last red, handing Higgins the opportunity to double his advantage.
A run of 50 helped Higgins win the next for 9-6, and breaks of 43 and 19 in the 17th were enough to put him into the last 16 for the 28th time in 32 consecutive appearances. So far all seven completed matches have gone in favour of the seeded player.
“When the draw came out I wasn’t happy because I knew it would be a mammoth game,” said Higgins, champion in 1998, 2007, 2009 and 2011. “No one in the game has more respect for Ali’s game than me, he can cue like a dream and he is one of the biggest battlers. The 14th frame was huge, to go 8-6 up as that gave me the cushion to go on and win.
“If I do play Ronnie it would be special, a big occasion. Maybe it would be the last time we would play each other here. I’d just have to forget about that because I’d be out there to try to win a match, buckle down and give it everything. I’m putting less pressure on myself, just taking it as it is and not expecting too much at my age.”
Carter, asked if his glass is half full or half empty, joked: “The glass is smashed to bits! I am sick as a dog. The big difference in the game was the run of the ball, quite a few times John missed balls or got out of snookers and didn’t leave me a chance.“
On the other table, Wu Yize blitzed to an 8-1 lead over Chinese compatriot Lei Peifan. Wu, age 22, has enjoyed a breakthrough season, beating Higgins in the final to secure maiden ranking silverware at the International Championship and reaching further semi-finals at the Masters, Welsh Open and World Open.
Wu’s previous two Crucible appearances have ended in first round defeats, but he now needs just two more frames to reach the last 16 for the first time. Breaks of 93, 92, 85, 67, 58 and 105 propelled Wu clear this afternoon and he will hope to finish the job when they return tomorrow at 2:30pm.
Stan Moody’s enthralling Crucible debut ended in defeat as the teenager made critical errors in the closing stages of a 10-7 defeat against Kyren Wilson in the first round of the Halo World Championship.
Moody, 19, was on course to become the youngest player to win a match at the Crucible since Ronnie O’Sullivan in 1995 when he led 7-3, but crucially he passed up a chance to go 8-3 ahead, and later another to make it 8-6. Wilson showed the resolve which won him the title in 2024 as he stormed back to take the last seven frames and punched the air in relief as he celebrated victory. Having avoided a seismic Sheffield shock, the world number two is into the last 16 and will face Mark Allen on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The first British teenager to make a Crucible debut since Judd Trump in 2007, Moody looked in his element for much of the day, exuding confidence as he showed the full range of his potting and break-building skills. He was dominating the tie at 7-3, but perhaps tightened up as the winning line drew close and the lost momentum.
Wilson suffered a painful 10-9 first round defeat against Lei Peifan a year ago and was determined to avoid a similar fate. His season has included titles at the invitational Shanghai Masters and the Masters, though in ranking events he is yet to reach a semi-final. The 34-year-old is into the last 16 at the Crucible for the tenth time and still has the chance to finish the campaign strongly.
Trailing 6-3 after the first session, Wilson had chances in the opening frame tonight but missed the green to a baulk corner when he led 44-28, and Moody converted a doubled red to a centre pocket to set up a 48 clearance. Moody might have gone 8-3 up but missed the last red along the top cushion when he led by 35 points in frame 11. Wilson cleared the table to force a respotted black, then potted it from distance to spark his fight back.
A break of 63 from Wilson helped make it 7-5 and in frame 13, Moody missed a risky yellow to a centre pocket when he trailed 52-15, and soon the gap was just one. Moody looked sure to go 8-6 ahead until he broke down on 68 in the 14th with four reds left, and Wilson replied with 24 before gaining the three snookers he needed on the last red and cleared to level the tie.
Early in the next frame, Moody missed an awkward black to a top corner on 7, and Wilson’s run of 46 gave him the lead for the first time, then he dominated the 16th with 35 and 34 for 9-7. Yorkshire’s Moody might have kept the match alive if he had cleared the colours in frame 17, but he missed a tough final black which was close to the top cushion, and Wilson slotted it home.
“It was really tough, at 7-3 I had to keep going to the well,” said Wilson. “I wasn’t playing great but I made some dogged clearances and I had to keep doing the right things. I knew I had more experience than Stan here and that was bound to be a factor.
“Stan is a credit to the younger generation, my kids are often supporting him. He was very impressive this morning and I am sure he will learn from this experience, it won’t be the last time you see him here. I won a couple of big frames which must have sapped the energy out of him.“
Moody said: “I’m gutted, I lost too many bad frames. I had the match won at 7-3 then it turned around. I felt comfortable out there, it was still a great experience and I have to learn from it.“
Meanwhile, 2005 champion Shaun Murphy took a 5-4 overnight lead against China’s Fan Zhengyi. They return on Tuesday at 7pm with the winner to meet Xiao Guodong next.
Murphy took a 3-1 lead with a top break of 78 then Fan took the next with a run of 66 and won frame six on a respotted black. The next two were shared, then Murphy finished the session strongly with a 140 total clearance.
There isn’t much to add really.
Ding’s interview is quite revealing. He seems to care more about the future of snooker in China and about the success of the Chinese contingent as a whole than about his personal success. From what I understand heyball is developing faster than snooker in China. It’s probably an easier, hence more enjoyable, game for beginners. Its “faster” too. The latest match fixing scandal has certainly tarnished snooker’s image in China, as well as the Chinese players’ image worldwide. Ding was the “pioneer” Chinese player and the whole affair must have been particularly painful for him.
Ronnie starts his first round match this afternoon. I will be honest: my expectations are low. He Guoqiang is a very good, very dangerous player.
Four matches were played to a conclusion yesterday, and you will find the results and scores on snooker.org as always. As you can see, all matches, so far, were won by the seeded top 16 player. The story that captured WST attention though was the clash of generations, between Willo and the young Polish debutant Antoni Kowalski.
Mark Williams got the better of Poland’s top player Antoni Kowalski by a 10-4 scoreline to reach the last 16 of the Halo World Championship for the 23rd time.
Kowalski’s run was the most engaging storyline of the qualifying rounds last week as he had to reach the Crucible to save his tour card as well as becoming the first player from his country to appear at snooker’s Theatre of Dreams. However the talented 22-year-old admitted he “ran out of steam” on the main stage and was outplayed by world number six Williams.
Age 51 and despite the fact that his eyesight is gradually deteriorating, Williams must still be considered a contender for the crown as he reached the final last year, notably knocking out John Higgins and Judd Trump before losing to Zhao Xintong in the final. Earlier this season he became the oldest ever winner of a ranking title when he beat Shaun Murphy in the final of the Xi’an Grand Prix.
His next opponent is Barry Hawkins over a possible 25 frames on Friday and Saturday – a repeat of their epic 2018 semi-final which Williams won 17-15 on his way to a third world title.
This was a spirited debut from Kowalski and at 3-3 he looked capable of causing an upset, but missed too many chances in the remainder of the match.
Williams led 6-3 after the first session, but in the opening frame tonight he played a weak safety when he trailed 50-39 with two reds left, and Kowalski took advantage to narrow the gap. A break of 65 restored Williams’ three-frame cushion at 7-4, then in frame 12 the Welshman led 33-15 when he cracked in a long red to set up a run of 34 to go further ahead.
Kowalski had a scoring chance in the next but made only 15 before missing a red with the rest, and his opponent capitalised with the only century of the match, 115, to lead 9-4. The next came down to the final black and a brief safety exchange ended when Williams fired it from distance into a top corner.
“Antoni is a cracking potter, I don’t pot the long balls that he does any more,” said Williams. “I knew it would be tough for him on his debut so I tried to keep it tight and play to my strengths. He showed a bit of inexperience but he will learn from that and improve. The scoreline looks quite one sided but he could have won three or four more frames.“
Kowalski said: “The whole experience definitely lived up to my expectations. If I could I would play here every day, it’s such a special atmosphere. I put so much into the qualifying rounds and I was trying hard here but I ran out of steam.
“I couldn’t be more proud to have made my contribution as the first Polish player at the Crucible. We have been waiting for this breakthrough moment and hopefully this will make snooker more popular in my country.“
Indeed, as Mark Williams said, Antoni Kowalski could have made the match a lot closer. Of course it was a new experience for him and, also, there was a lot of attention and probably expectations on him as well. I do hope that Mark’s nice word will help the young polish player to overcome his disappointment quickly and encourage him to work even harder. He’s certainly talented and capable enough. He earned his spot at the Crucible.
The 2026 Snooker World Championship started yesterday at the Crucible theatre in Sheffield and, as per tradition, the defending champion “opened” the competition as his match played to completion on table 1.
This is never an easy task for the reigning World champion, especially when they are defending for the first time but Zhao Xintong acquitted himself very well, despite not playing at his brilliant best.
Zhao Xintong admitted he felt “big pressure” as he came through a nervy first round test to beat Liam Highfield 10-7, a successful start to his bid to retain the Halo World Championship title.
China’s 29-year-old Zhao looked vulnerable for much of the day against world number 92 Highfield, the lowest ranked player to come through the qualifying rounds, and could have fallen 6-5 behind. But he eventually came good, taking five of the last seven frames to earn a meeting with Ding Junhui or David Gilbert in the second round; a match which starts next Friday.
A year ago, Zhao made snooker history as the first player from Asia to lift the sport’s most famous trophy, beating Mark Williams 18-12 in the final. He is now aiming to break the Curse of the Crucible, as in the 49-year history of the Championship in Sheffield, no first-time winner has successfully defended the title.
Rated as short as 2/1 favourite by bookmakers at the start of the event, Zhao has been the player of the 2025/26 season so far, notably hitting top form since February and collecting silverware at the World Grand Prix, Players Championship and Tour Championship. And while today he was far from his best, he will be relieved to have negotiated an awkward opening hurdle, particularly given that first-time champions Luca Brecel in 2024 and Kyren Wilson in 2025 both crashed out in the opening round.
Trailing 5-4 after the first session, Highfield took the opening frame tonight on the colours and he had a scoring chance in the next but crucially on a break of 55 he missed a routine yellow to a baulk corner, and Zhao later took the frame with a delightful 44 clearance to regain the lead. That proved a key turning point as Zhao rattled in breaks of 68 and 128 to go 8-5 ahead at the interval.
Highfield might have pinched frame 14 but, in potting the final yellow, snookered himself on the green, and he later finished second best in a safety tussle as Zhao moved to the brink of victory. England’s Highfield fought back with an excellent break of 101, then a run of 53 helped him close to 9-7.
However Zhao kept his composure and blasted in a long planted red at the beginning of frame 17, setting up a break of 112, his third century of the match and 77th of the season.
“I didn’t play that well, there was big pressure,” said Zhao after reaching the second round at the Crucible for the third time. “It’s not like before, it was very different. The Crucible is very interesting like that. I’m really happy to win. I tried to control myself but I missed some easy balls. Tonight I felt better but it’s tough because it’s my first time as defending champion.
“The 11th frame was important, when I won that to go 6-5 ahead it gave me confidence that I could finish the game. The first round is very difficult, it’s hard to enjoy. I was very proud this morning when I was introduced, I wanted to stay in the tournament and not lose today.“
Highfield said: “I kept him at bay in the first session but tonight there were two or three frames I could have won, I just missed chances. The 11th frame hurt me, after that Zhao played well. I was trying to make sure I got on the next red and I took my eye off the yellow.“
On the other table, Barry Hawkins established a 7-2 overnight advantage over Matthew Stevens in a battle between two former finalists. They play to a finish on Sunday from 2.30pm.
Stevens had an early 2-1 lead but 2013 runner-up Hawkins then reeled off six frames in a row with a top break of 99.
I don’t have much to add, as I didn’t watch any of the other matches so far. I’m pleased for Zhao. I like the way he plays, and he comes across as a nice character. Yes, he looked vulnerable, but then, this was probably the most pressure he ever felt in his career so far. He is out there as the first ever Chinese World Champion, and defending Champion. He has to cope with the hopes and expectations of a population of over 1.400 billion individuals, I’m certain that the Chinese media showed up in force at the Crucible his match yesterday … who wouldn’t feel pressure under these circumstances? Well done Zhao!
That said, Liam Highfield is a likeable character and he certainly didn’t disgrace himself. It takes two to make a good match and this was one, not because of sky high standard, but because it was competitive and played in good spirit by two men who gave it their best.
A memorial service paying tribute to late great snooker legend John Virgo was held at Sheffield Cathedral today, almost two months after his death.
A plethora of snooker legends, including Virgo’s long-time pal Dennis Taylor, attended on Thursday afternoon, alongside Virgo’s widow Rosie Ries. The proceedings started at 1pm after a bevy of guests started arriving at around 12.30pm. Fans also attended, taking up some 600 spaces at the event.
The event was followed by a reception at Sheffield Town Hall, with drinks and canapes, from 2.30pm until 5pm. Virgo, known to pals and fans as “JV”, died aged 79 at his home in Mijas Costa in Spain in February.
Ken Doherty, the 1997 World Champion, and snooker’s Master of Ceremonies Rob Walker arranged the service to give the snooker community and the people of Sheffield the chance to celebrate Virgo’s life.
here are some pictures, shared on Weibo
This afternoon, there was also the now traditional green carpet ceremony in Sheffield’s city centre
Again the majority of these pictures were shared on weibo, which is why most show mainly the Chinese players…
Ronnie O’Sullivan faces fine ahead of quest for eighth World Snooker Championship
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump are set to be fined for missing the launch of the 2026 World Championship in Sheffield.
This year’s players gathered in Tudor Square outside the Crucible Theatre on Friday for a green-carpet ceremony celebrating the relationship between snooker and Sheffield.
But O’Sullivan and Trump did not appear and unless they can provide a valid reason for their absence, such as a medical issue, they face a sanction from the World Snooker Tour.
They are indeed not in any of the above pictures, but then the same is true for the other “non-Chinese” top 16 players as they are not weibo’s main focus.
Of course, Ronnie and Judd are not due to play before Tuesday, and Ronnie has now based himself in Ireland for practice… Also, after winning the John Virgo Trophy, Ronnie revealed his intention to commute from Ireland during the World Championship. I’m not sure about this decision as traveling back and forth might prove very tiring and the championship itself is demanding enough. On the other hand, from what I have personally witnessed, during the championship he can’t walk 100 m in Sheffield without being stopped by fans asking for autographs, pictures or just wanting a chat… even when he is just sat in a restaurant, eating, some come over to him with all sorts of demands: most want a picture or an autograph, some want a chat or just a handshake … and some even have “advice” for him about how he should play this or that shot 😂
The draw for the final stages of the 2026 Halo World Championship has been made, with defending champion Zhao Xintong facing Liam Highfield.
It was conducted on BBC 5 Live Breakfast by presenters Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards, with 2010 World Champion Neil Robertson in attendance. The 16 seeded players were drawn out at random against the 16 qualifiers.
Other highlights include 2024 World Champion Kyren Wilson being pitted against teenage star Stan Moody, Poland’s first Crucible competitor Antoni Kowalski facing Mark Williams and Ronnie O’Sullivan going up against He Guoqiang.
…
Zhao Xintong v Liam Highfield Ding Junhui v David Gilbert
Xiao Guodong v Zhou Yuelong Shaun Murphy v Fan Zhengyi
John Higgins v Ali Carter Ronnie O’Sullivan v He Guoqiang
Chris Wakelin v Liam Pullen Neil Robertson v Pang Junxu
——————
Kyren Wilson v Stan Moody Mark Allen v Zhang Anda
Barry Hawkins v Matthew Stevens Mark Williams v Antoni Kowalski
Mark Selby v Jak Jones Wu Yize v Lei Peifan
Si Jiahui v Hossein Vafaei Judd Trump v Gary Wilson
There are no easy draws at the Crucible of course, but Ronnie certainly hasn’t it easy. He Guoqiang is very dangerous and, should Ronnie win his opening match, John Higgins or Ali Carter will be waiting, which is probably about the worse he could have got at that stage. That said neither Higgins nor Carter must be thrilled about their first round clash … it’s brutal.
