Zhao Wins Black-ball Decider To Reach Champions Semis

China's Zhao Xintong booked his spot successful nan semi-finals of nan Champion of Champions tourney pinch a 6-5 triumph complete Kyren Wilson successful a thrilling lucifer which went down to a black-ball decider.

Zhao had been 3-1 up but nan Englishman roared backmost by winning nan adjacent 4 frames including breaks of 104 and 120.

World champion Zhao past won nan adjacent 2 frames - compiling his first period break - to quadrate a topsy-turvy lucifer astatine 5-5.

A break of 58 gave Zhao nan precocious manus successful nan deciding framework astatine Leicester's Mattioli Arena, but a tally of 54 by Wilson ensured whoever potted nan achromatic would win.

An effort from Wilson rattled nan jaws of some area pockets and Zhao sunk a much straightforward opportunity to seal victory.

"When I was 3-1 up I missed a fewer shots and he came retired to spell 5-3 and I was conscionable reasoning I don't him to triumph truthful easy," he told ITV.

"I was a small fortunate successful nan past 2 frames and sewage distant pinch a mates of misses."

Zhao will now look world number Judd Trump successful nan past 4 of nan 16-player invitational tournament, which is simply a non-ranking event.

The 28-year-old had earlier breezed done his opening lucifer pinch a 4-0 triumph complete Mark Allen.

Northern Ireland's Allen won conscionable a solitary constituent successful 4 frames arsenic Zhao made breaks of 60, 78 and 76 en way to victory.

Wilson had progressed aft a 4-3 triumph complete chap Englishman Jack Lisowski successful a adjacent encounter.

Lisowski had fought backmost from 3-0 down to level nan match, only for Wilson to peel disconnected a break of 122 to clinch nan success.