Zhao Xintong Holds Off Ding Junhui In Tense Battle To Reach Crucible Quarters

Zhao Xintong moved person to cracking nan alleged “Crucible Curse” arsenic he booked his quarter-final spot astatine nan World Snooker Championship, wrapping up a hard-fought 13-9 triumph complete compatriot Ding Junhui.

The defending champion shrugged disconnected immoderate evident nerves to build connected a 9-7 overnight advantage contempt losing an error-strewn, 46-minute opener that saw Ding temporarily trim nan arrears to a azygous frame.

The 29-year-old – who is looking to go nan first and only first-time victor to clasp his title astatine nan Crucible Theatre – capitalised connected a bid of misses by his force to propulsion away. Zhao produced a break of 108 successful nan penultimate framework arsenic he group up a last-eight conflict pinch Shaun Murphy.

“Today I deliberation location was much pressure,” Zhao told BBC Sport. “I cognize Ding didn’t play very good successful nan past session, but nan unit is very big. This twelvemonth I conscionable don’t want to suffer immoderate match, truthful it feels very different.”

Mark Selby is level pinch Yu Wize aft an entertaining first session. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

Mark Selby started disconnected pinch 2 hundreds of years but was forced to conflict backmost from down to guarantee nan opening convention of his second-round lucifer against No 10 seed Wu Yize ended all-square astatine 4-4.

Four-time world champion Selby threatened to overwhelm his 22-year-old force pinch breaks of 124 and 129 successful nan first 2 frames, but Wu summoned a superb consequence by reeling disconnected nan adjacent 3 successful a statement successful a high-quality session.

The duo divided nan adjacent 2 earlier Wu’s early sniff astatine a 147 was ended by a bad footwear connected a red. Selby reeled successful a 44-point shortage to guarantee they will return for nan 2nd convention connected Sunday evening level astatine 4-4.

On Sunday afternoon, Neil Robertson and Chris Wakelin resume all-square astatine 4-4, pinch Judd Trump’s lucifer against qualifier Hossein Vafaei poised astatine nan aforesaid score. Ronnie O’Sullivan takes a 6-2 lead into his evening convention against John Higgins.