Zhao Xintong Stuns O’Sullivan with Crushing Whitewash to Make Historic World Final
In a dramatic turn of events at the World Snooker Championship, Zhao Xintong delivered a commanding performance to defeat the legendary Ronnie O’Sullivan, securing his place in the final and becoming only the second Asian player to reach this stage of the tournament after Ding Junhui in 2016.
The turning point came during a disastrous second session on Friday morning, where O’Sullivan lost all eight frames in a shocking whitewash. The 49-year-old, who has struggled with form and fitness in recent months, faced an uphill battle from that point and never recovered.
Zhao, meanwhile, remained composed and clinical throughout the match. His dominance and focus at the table have been praised by fans and pundits alike. Even O’Sullivan himself acknowledged the young star’s brilliance. Speaking to BBC Four, he said, “Zhao played good, he deserved his victory. I think he’s done brilliantly all tournament and all credit to Zhao. He played better than me.”
O’Sullivan, who had been absent from the snooker scene for much of 2025 due to medical reasons, admitted his recent performances have fallen below his usual standards. “I’ve been awful for quite a while. Those performances are in there, they’ve been coming out quite regularly recently,” he confessed. The defeat marks only the second time in his career that he has been beaten with a session to spare at the Crucible — the first time in 31 years.
Despite the crushing loss, O’Sullivan still found a moment to appreciate Zhao’s rise, and Zhao in turn paid heartfelt tribute to his idol. “I need to say thank you to Ronnie because he has helped me a lot before. He’s my idol,” Zhao said. “It’s my first time playing on the single table here, it’s amazing for me. I just want to enjoy it.”
Zhao will now face either Mark Williams or Judd Trump in the final, with their semi-final currently tied at 8-8. Regardless of the outcome, Zhao’s breakthrough at the Crucible marks a significant milestone for both his career and Asian snooker.
