Crucible king Zhao exits World Open as last eight line-up set in Yushan

Reigning world champion Zhao Xintong - who had won 14 of his last 15 matches on the World Snooker Tour coming into his latest outing - was eliminated by Gary Wilson.

A winner of back-to-back ranking titles last month at the World Grand Prix and then the Players Championship, Zhao got off to an ideal start with a break of 91, although world number 23 Wilson levelled, and then went in front with runs of 104 and 84.

Zhao (60 break) restored parity at 2-2, but following the mid-session interval, three-time ranking event winner Wilson struck a purple patch with efforts of 107 and 100 in consecutive frames before going on to record a 5-2 victory. The result was a slice of green baize revenge for Wilson who was defeated by Zhao at the Masters in January.

Runner-up in the Far East earlier this season when he was ousted by Xiao Guodong in a deciding frame at the Wuhan Open, Wilson can still qualify for the upcoming Tour Championship, although he needs the title this week in order to achieve that.

Next up for Wilson on quarter-finals Friday is Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, who defeated Marco Fu, 5-2.

In a meeting of this season’s two fastest players - according to the average shot times published on the World Snooker Tour website - Un-Nooh racked up runs of 70, 134, 66 and 67 in establishing a 4-0 lead.

Fu compiled efforts of 81 and 75 to make the score-line look respectable, but Un-Nooh - a finalist in this event in 2019 - wrapped up progression with an 85.

It will be Un-Nooh’s first ranking event quarter-final appearance on the circuit since making the last four of the 2022 Scottish Open - where he bowed out to eventual champion Wilson.

World number one Trump into the last eight

Two-time winner of this crown in the past, Judd Trump maintained his hopes of a World Open hat-trick as he got past Robbie Williams, 5-2.

Trump (63 break, frame two) moved 2-0 up but world number 55 Williams got back on level terms before the interval, crafting a 92 in frame four.

But when action resumed, Trump notched up breaks of 106, 77 and 94 to advance.

Hossein Vafaei will be Trump's opponent in the quarter-finals as he pipped Zhang Anda in a thrilling finish.

Efforts of 137 and 70 aided Zhang to a 2-1 lead but Iran's number one Vafaei took the next three frames to reach the hill at 4-2 up.

Zhang (59 break, frame seven) would go on to force the contest all the way, but it was Vafaei who got the verdict as he cleared from the final red to black in the deciding frame to win by the barest of margins.

It will be Vafaei’s first last eight appearance in over a year.

Earlier in the day in Yushan, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Ryan Day, Mark Allen and Wu Yize all advanced.

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 World Open, visit here.