Ronnie O’Sullivan had high praise for Zhao Xintong after both players secured wins in the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday. O’Sullivan narrowly edged out Barry Hawkins 6-5 in a tense match, while Zhao delighted his home crowd with a commanding 6-2 win over Chris Wakelin.
O’Sullivan, a seven-time world champion, believes Zhao’s triumph at the Crucible proved his ability to perform under extreme pressure. Zhao had previously crushed O’Sullivan 17-7 in the semi-finals before defeating Mark Williams 18-12 to claim the world title.
Zhao’s win over Wakelin on Wednesday was a repeat of his dominant performance in the World Championship quarter-finals. Playing in front of 2,000 fans, the new world champion made breaks of 103, 65, 73, and 59 to win the last four frames.
“Zhao has been a fantastic talent since he was 15,” O’Sullivan told the press. “We always knew he was special he won the UK Championship, but the World Championship is on another level. Winning it proves he can handle pressure, and I think he’ll only keep getting stronger. Technically, he’s outstanding and rarely misses. He’s going to be a major force in snooker for years.”
O’Sullivan, now using a new cue, said he played his best since winning the 2022 world title. He compiled impressive breaks of 94, 94, 54, 90, 89, and 67 to book a quarter-final clash with Kyren Wilson on Thursday.
If both win their quarter-finals, O’Sullivan could meet Zhao again. Zhao faces Ding Junhui in an all-Chinese showdown. Both matches start at 12:30 p.m. BST on Thursday, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Speaking after his win, Zhao said, “I played intensely at the World Championship, and by the end, I was eager to play more. The past two months gave me time to recharge. Today was a strong return.”
Reflecting on his upcoming match against Ding, Zhao said their past encounters were different: “I used to be just a fan playing against my idol. Now, I’m at a level where I can truly compete. Win or lose, what matters most is giving the fans a good show.”
Thursday’s Quarter-Final Line-Up (BST):
07:00 – Xiao Guodong vs. Ali Carter
07:00 – Judd Trump vs. Mark Selby
12:30 – Ding Junhui vs. Zhao Xintong
12:30 – Kyren Wilson vs. Ronnie O’SuO’Sullivan
Be the first to comment