Zhao Xintong creates Crucible history as he reaches World Snooker Championship quarter-finals

Zhao creates history with the result, as he becomes the first amateur player ever to reach the last eight of professional snooker’s blue riband event at the Crucible.

Former UK Champion and world number six Zhao is competing in this year’s Championship despite not currently having a professional tour card.

The 28-year-old was one of ten Chinese players who were removed from the professional player roster and banned in 2023 as part of the match-fixing scandal that rocked the sport. Zhao was involved, although not found to have actually fixed matches himself.

That ban expired last September, meaning Zhao was free to compete on the international amateur circuit in a bid to win back his tour card. On the secondary Q Tour series, Zhao was sensational, winning four consecutive events, making two maximum 147 breaks, and finishing top of the rankings which earns him a two-year professional tour card from the 2025/26 season later this calendar year.

However, due to his results on the Q Tour, Zhao was invited to this season’s World Championship qualifiers along with several other top performing amateurs from across the past 12 months.

At the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield a few weeks ago, Zhao navigated the qualification gauntlet, winning four successive matches - totting up 12 century breaks along the way - to reach the 32-player main draw.

In round one at the Crucible, Zhao defeated last year’s runner-up Jak Jones 10-4, making a 142 and several other sizeable contributions.

Fellow qualifier Lei was up next for Zhao; reigning Scottish Open Champion Lei reached round two after eliminating reigning World Champion Kyren Wilson in a big upset on the opening day of the televised stages.

World number 39 Lei registered runs of 75, 64 and 120 as he won three successive frames from 2-0 down, but two-time ranking event champion Zhao fashioned efforts of 53, 97 and 61 as he finished the first session 5-3 up.

It was the same 5-3 outcome in the second session, meaning Zhao went into the concluding act on Sunday morning 10-6 ahead.

Zhao won frames 17 and 19 as he moved to the hill at 12-7, but Lei - who scored a break of 130 in frame 18 - kept his hopes alive as he came from behind in frame 20 to take the contest to its last scheduled mid-session interval.

The comeback continued after the break for Lei as efforts of 94 and 65 got him to within two frames at 12-10 down.

However, Zhao - aided by a 54 - managed to get across the line in frame 23 to set up a quarter-final meeting with world number 20 Chris Wakelin on Tuesday.

Following his successful qualification, Zhao is the third amateur to have reached the Crucible main draw.

In 2019, James Cahill - who was without a professional tour card at the time - made it to the televised stages where he caused one of the biggest shocks in the history of the sport as he stunned Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-8 in round one proper. He was the first amateur to play at the Crucible in the event, and the first to win a match at the venue under those circumstances.

Cahill was ousted in the last 16 by Stephen Maguire, 13-12, meaning Zhao's run this year is unprecedented.

Should Zhao make the semi-finals here, he would earn enough prize money to start next season's campaign inside the world's top 64 rankings, instead of being at the back of the pile with zero points on his ranking tally. It is important to note, this is unofficial at the time of writing, but as other amateur players are on the one-year list, there should be no reason why Zhao isn’t eligible via that route either.

Zhao: I’m so proud of myself

Talking with the media shortly after his second round victory, a delighted Zhao said: "I'm so happy, that's the first time into the quarter-finals and I'm so proud of myself.

"In the first round he [Lei] came back against Kyren Wilson so I knew I wasn't ready to win and I needed to be strong.

"I just want to go through the Crucible and I need to try my best and enjoy it as it is very nice, the crowd is nice and I want to stay longer. This is my first time to play Chris Wakelin, I know he is really good player."

Like Zhao, Wakelin will be appearing in his first Crucible quarter-final, and a qualifier is guaranteed to be playing in the one-table set-up in the semi-finals.

Former Snooker Shoot Out Champion Wakelin defeated maximum man Mark Allen 13-6 on Friday night in the last 16.

Please visit our 2025 World Snooker Championship tournament information centre here for details on the draw, results, format and order of play.