Zhao Xintong continues Crucible title defence at World Snooker Championship

Title holder Zhao defeated number 16 seed Ding Junhui, 13-9, in a blockbuster clash between Chinese snooker’s two greatest players of all-time.

Zhao - who defeated qualifier Liam Highfield in round one - remains on course to break the fabled ‘Crucible Curse’ and become the first first-time world champion to successfully defend the crown on snooker’s grandest stage.

In a three-session contest that stretched over three days, the players were locked at 4-4 after the opening act before Zhao managed to carve out a two-frame advantage with a 9-7 overnight lead following their Saturday afternoon festivities.

Returning on Sunday morning for the concluding session, Ding reduced the gap to one after a lengthy opening frame, but Zhao secured back-to-back frames - including the 19th on the final black after his opponent botched a safety shot on the brown - for 11-8.

China's original snooker trailblazer Ding - who made the final here a decade ago - kept in touch with a classy 76, but after the final mid-session interval, Zhao fashioned a 108 (his third ton of the match), before wrapping up victory in the next.

Next up for 29-year-old Zhao is a last eight meeting with 2005 World Champion Shaun Murphy. That best-of-25 affair starts on Tuesday morning.

If you include all his qualifying round wins from last year’s edition, Zhao is currently on an 11-match World Snooker Championship winning streak.

Speaking to BBC Sport shortly after his win, world number four Zhao - who is going for his fifth title of the season - acknowledged that neither himself or Ding played their best game: "It was a special match for us - everyone has eyes on us playing and today was more pressure, not like yesterday or the first session. The last session is more pressure so I am lucky I could win.

"Ding did not play that well, he gave me some easy chances but also I did not play well too and I tried to calm down because the pressure is very very big. It is very different to last year.

"The Chinese players have more pressure because snooker is a very popular sport in China and there are a lot of fans watching - it is good news but we have more pressure."

Zhao has defeated upcoming opponent Murphy both times they have met this season, with those contests also coming at the last eight stage: Riyadh Season Championship (4-2 win), Players Championship (6-3 win). At both those tournaments, Zhao went on to lift the trophy.

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 World Snooker Championship, visit our tournament information centre here.