Two out of the final four! Snooker Champion of Champions report: Zhao Xintong wins 6-5 to reach the semifinals, two Chinese players eliminated

On November 12th Beijing time, the Snooker Champion of Champions event is heating up. Another group round just ended, where Chinese player Zhao Xintong fought through 11 frames to edge out Kyren Wilson 6-5, winning on the decisive black ball in an exciting match. He is the first Chinese player to make the semifinals, with Trump and Zhao Xintong now both qualified for the last four!

As its name suggests, the Champion of Champions tournament only invites players who have won a title in the current season. There are just 16 spots available in this invitational event with a very generous prize fund. Four Chinese players participated, but unfortunately two major stars, O'Sullivan and Ding Junhui, were absent. Currently, Bai Yulu and Lei Peifan have been eliminated. The third Chinese player to compete was Zhao Xintong, who faced Mark Allen. Zhao showed deadly precision and crushed Allen 4-0 to reach the quarterfinals. His next opponent was the young world champion Kyren Wilson, ranked second in the world, who had just narrowly beaten Lisowski 4-3 in a tough 7-frame group match to advance to the last eight!

After the match started, Zhao Xintong came out strong, excelling in both offense and defense, taking a perfect 3-1 lead. However, mistakes began to pile up, and Kyren Wilson launched an attacking surge, winning four consecutive frames to put Zhao in a tough position. Trailing 4-5, Zhao resisted immense pressure and rediscovered his world champion form at a critical moment. With nerves of steel, he won three straight frames to complete a dramatic comeback, ultimately claiming a 6-5 victory over Kyren Wilson and securing his semifinal spot!

Congratulations to Zhao Xintong for playing so tough. Breaking through this group and eliminating two top-tier stars, Allen and Kyren Wilson, to earn a semifinal berth is a huge achievement. It’s clear Zhao’s form has returned, exactly what we hoped to see. We wish him continued success as he aims for the title. With the semifinals set, Trump and Zhao Xintong represent the two finalists from this group. Looking forward to more exciting matches ahead—keep it up!

Written by / Sports Novel