World Championship 2025: Zhao Xintong wraps up stunning Crucible semi-final win over lacklustre Ronnie O'Sullivan in three sessions

Zhao Xintong broke the back of his semi-final with Ronnie O'Sullivan at the World Championship when winning all eight frames on Friday morning. He returned on Friday evening to wrap up the victory in three sessions to reach the final. Watch and stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+.

O’Sullivan and Zhao share warm handshake after stunning semi-final

Video credit: TNT Sports

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s quest for an eighth World Championship is over for another year as Zhao Xintong wrapped up a 17-7 win in three sessions.

After the opening eight frames were shared, O’Sullivan delivered one of his worst performances of his Crucible career as Zhao swept the board to go 12-4 ahead.

O’Sullivan upped his level on Friday evening and took the opening two frames to briefly threaten a comeback, but a miss in the following frame allowed Zhao to ease into the match.

BetVictor Northern Ireland Open

'Very tough' - Zhao reveals reason behind shock Northern Ireland Open exit

20/10/2025 at 09:00

From there, the Chinese player - who only returned to competitive action last year following his suspension for his part in a match-fixing scandal - dominated the scoring to wrap up a 17-7 win to book his place in a first Crucible final.

After what could only be described as an abject display in the morning session, O’Sullivan had to up his level.

He took the first frame of the evening to snap a run of nine in a row from Zhao.

Zhao made more mistakes in that 17th frame than in the whole of the morning session.

O’Sullivan made a hard-working break of 36, his highest of the day to date, but missed a tough black.

Zhao's positional play was awry in his counter and a surprising miss to left middle allowed O’Sullivan to take the frame.

The dream scenario for those inside the Crucible was an O’Sullivan comeback.

Zhao had chances in the 18th and eked out a lead, but missed a black to hand O’Sullivan a chance at a counter. The roars inside the Crucible spoke volumes, and O’Sullivan worked his way back into the frame.

The frame boiled down to a safety battle, and it turned O’Sullivan’s way when he laid a fiendish snooker. Zhao escaped at the second time of asking, but O’Sullivan potted brown and blue to secure his second frame of the evening.

'The Rocket is back' - O'Sullivan lays fiendish snooker to set up frame-winning chance

Video credit: TNT Sports

Zhao looked nervous in the face of O’Sullivan’s play being much improved, and he missed when in the balls in the 19th.

The roars of encouragement for O’Sullivan turned to groans, as he missed a red to the left corner and Zhao steadied the ship to take his first frame of the night.

There were no signs of nerves from Zhao in the 20th, as he raced through a total clearance of 128 to share the mini-session.

O’Sullivan, in the words of Dave Hendon on TNT Sports commentary, produced some dazzling snooker in the frame upon the resumption. Some of the pots in a break of 57 took the breath away, but he missed a simple red. It did not matter, as Zhao’s counter never got off the ground as O’Sullivan took the 21st frame.

'An absolute belter' - O'Sullivan sinks glorious pink

Video credit: TNT Sports

Attack was front and centre in O’Sullivan’s thought process, and he took on a tough red in the 22nd. It did not drop, and Zhao eased through a break of 85 to keep his advantage at eight frames.

The 23rd frame saw O’Sullivan miss a tough red across the table, and Zhao made him pay with a break of 63 to get within one of the final.

To take the match into a fourth session, O'Sullivan had to take the final frame. He had a chance, but broke down and Zhao showed the winning line held no terrors as he cruised through a break of 88 to reach the Crucible final.
- - -

Watch and stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+

BetVictor Northern Ireland Open