China Open recap – Zhang Anda beats Zhao Xintong in a decider after Stuart Bingham sees off John Higgins

A sensational match went the way of Zhang Anda as he pipped Zhao Xintong on a re-spotted black in their final-frame decider to set up a last-16 meeting with Chris Waklelin.

There was no sense in the early stages of the drama to come, Zhao building a 3-0 lead that he might well have made 4-0 before the interval. But Zhang hung in there, pinching it and taking the next. Then, from 4-2 down, he moved to 5-4 clear with a wonderful total clearance of 134.

Zhao, though, found a better level when faced with imminent defeat, drawing level at 5-5, only for Zhang to get in first and build a useful lead. But when the 2025 world champion got the chance, he moved in front in the frame, only to narrowly miss position after developing the final red.

Nevertheless, he really should have cleared up for the win, only to miss a cannon on the final black, which Zhang potted once to earn a re-spot, then a second time to secure a memorable victory.

A terrific match ends when Zhang snicks in the decisive ball. Zhao will feel he tossed it away, but had the result gone the other way, so would that evil feeling. Next for Zhang: Chris Wakelin.

Zhao goes first ... and plays a dog, leaving a snick to right corner. Will Zhang take it on?

...and it's there! To a re-spot we go, and this is amazing stuff.

Zhang must be relieved to come back to the table, but he plays a poor shot, leaving a shy to corner ... but Zhao can't see it away, and on we go. Well, until a poor shot offers Zhang a cut to level the frame. Here he goes...

Zhao goes around the angles off the blue – not because he wants to, rather because he finishes the wrong side of it, then it's pink to black, the latter a few inches in off the knuckle of left corner ... and he doesn't get the cannon he seeks! It's a black-ball match but Zhang needs two of them, one to force a re-spot and one to get it done; this is so tense.

Zhao promotes the pink, meaning all the balls are now in play, and Zhang goes at the last red to right corner ... missing and leaving it to middle! He hands his head because he thinks he knows, but if this match has told us anything, it's that we've not a clue what's going to happen next. But you'd rather be the man at the table, and he bins yellow and green, almost there...

Zhang takes him time convincing himself to take on a longun, misses, then Zhao does likewise, a ball to right corner, plenty of angle ... and what a shot that is! The boy is a genius, I don't know what else to tell you, and of course he's on the black too. Goodness me, to take on and nail a shot that difficult at this time of the match is very, very special, and it looks like only the red on the side can save Zhang. Meantime, Zhao plays a cut-back black that takes him around the angles, uses the penultimate red to cannon the last ... bringing it out but not into a pottable position. What will he play next?

A red to middle keeps the break alive, but he soon runs out of position, playing a snooker off the brown in behind the green ... which he overhits! This isn't over yet, with 83 points left on the table, but Zhang is a strong favourite ... for now.

Another black, into the top rail, and at the pack from underneath ... develops another couple of reds, and Zhang is taking this opportunity beautifully, taking his time and slowing everything down. He's almost at the stage where only nerves at the finishing line hoving into view can stop him.

Neither man has played close to their best but, rather like Wilson 6-5 Hill yesterday, it's been an absorbing encounter, Zhao opening the decider with a foul before playing a much better safety. And it yields him a go at a longum, the kind of ball he usually handles ... but he misses and leaves, so Zhang gets away, but doesn't have an angle on the black, meaning he can't break the bunch. Still, he liberates another ball or two via tickle, and already, this is a chance to build a lead - perhaps more.

I said I think Zhao will do whatever is necessary to win, and I'm sticking with that.

I said I think Zhao will do whatever is necessary to win, and I'm sticking with that.

There's a red next to the pink, but is Zhao really going to send the white towards middle and the ball towards the yellow bag? Lovely shot, all the more so under pressure, and we're going all the way.

Zhao builds carefully, and this is really good stuff under pressure - and last season, no one won more deciders than him. But needing one more ball to be certain of the frame, he goes way too hard at a balloon the lip of corner, jamming it out, and the lead is 59 with 59 left, the lay of the table making a comeback unlikely

A chance he cannot take, and when he goes at another, he leaves a ball to middle ... which Zhao slots. The table, though, is unusual, so though there are loose balls, navigating through them won't be easy – though I'd back him to find a way, especially as the black is now available. He'll know, though, that any error may mean curtains.

Zhang misses a diag to corner but gets everything safe, but it's Zhao who pots next, adding a lovely cut pink to middle even though he knows it's taking him into the pack. Again, though, he can't bin a ball you can't envisage him missing, a red to corner, doing well to leave nothing easy ... but Zhang tickles home with the rest nevertheless, and this is a chance to put a proper dent in this frame.

A wonderful TC of 134, Zhang finding his best form when he needs it most to move one away and in front for the first time.

An oblique red to middle ... is there, and this is a really excellent break, Zhang playing his best stuff as the match is at its most tense. He's going one up with two to play.

Zhang drills into the pack, balls opening nicely, but can he see the red over middle? Nope, the pink is in the way; dare he try a swerve? Also nope, instead trying one to the green bag ... and it's there, shot. Slowly slowly, he's taking command of this frame – and match.