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zhao xintong

Steady33 stories3 sourcesLast updated: 5/12/2026
Related Topicssnookershaun murphyworld championshipmark allensheffieldcruciblejohn higginsneil robertson

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China launches 8-team pro snooker league, targets becoming powerhouse in sport
Sports
5/12/2026

China launches 8-team pro snooker league, targets becoming powerhouse in sport

Back-to-back world snooker championship victories by China’s Zhao Xintong and Wu Yize have sparked the formation of a new Chinese Billiards Club Professional League. Launched on Sunday, the new CBL will feature eight teams competing over the course of eight months, playing 432 matches in a home-and-away format, with the first fixtures scheduled for next Wednesday. League position will determine the draw for the quarter-finals in early October, with a grand final schedule for the last week in...

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SCMP Sport
Snooker boom can raise sport to level of table tennis in China, end stench of match-fixing
Sports
5/11/2026

Snooker boom can raise sport to level of table tennis in China, end stench of match-fixing

Wu Yize and Zhao Xintong’s victories at the World Championship will help to boost the growth of snooker in China, while removing the stench of corruption and match-fixing, sport insiders believe. Jason Ferguson, chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, previously suggested the interest that greeted Wu’s triumph over Shaun Murphy could help the sport’s Olympics ambitions. And Django Fung, who manages top players, including world No 2 Neil Robertson and Murphy, said...

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Wu Yize cements China’s status as premier snooker force as younger generation takes over
Sports
5/5/2026

Wu Yize cements China’s status as premier snooker force as younger generation takes over

The new world champion is the fourth consecutive first-time winner and the UK game faces a challenge to keep up with investment in AsiaPerhaps of all the noise that emanated from Wu Yize’s historic victory in the World Snooker Championship final on Monday evening, it was 12 simple words from the godfather of Chinese snooker that meant the most.For the second successive year, China has a world champion in the sport the nation has taken to its heart, with Wu emulating Zhao Xintong’s win 12 months earlier after defeating Shaun Murphy in one of the great finals. But there is a fair argument none of this would be possible without Ding Junhui laying the groundwork over the last 20 years. Continue reading...

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Guardian Sport
Snooker’s push to get into Olympics gets a jolt from China’s back-to-back world champions
Sports
5/5/2026

Snooker’s push to get into Olympics gets a jolt from China’s back-to-back world champions

Snooker’s bid to enter the Olympic Games will be boosted by having back-to-back world champions from China, the sport’s top official said on Tuesday. Wu Yize beat Shaun Murphy 18-17 in a dramatic world championship final on Monday to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Zhao Xintong, who became Asia’s first world champion 12 months ago. Britain has long been snooker’s traditional stronghold but China, where there are around 300,000 recognised snooker clubs, is the growing force in the game,...

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World Snooker Championship: China’s Wu Yize wins title for first time in dramatic final
Sports
5/5/2026

World Snooker Championship: China’s Wu Yize wins title for first time in dramatic final

Wu Yize became snooker’s second straight world champion from China after beating Shaun Murphy in a dramatic final-frame decider at the Crucible Theatre on Monday. With his 18-17 victory, the 22-year-old Wu is the second-youngest winner of the worlds after Stephen Hendry at age 21 in 1990. Wu follows in the footsteps of Zhao Xintong, who 12 months ago became the first-ever champion from Asia in a milestone moment for a game whose stronghold has always been in Britain. “All of a sudden, the...

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SCMP Sport
Wu Yize beats Shaun Murphy in final frame to win World Snooker Championship
Sports
5/4/2026

Wu Yize beats Shaun Murphy in final frame to win World Snooker Championship

Wu takes title 18-17 with break of 91Becomes second-youngest champion at age of 22As the decisive pot went in at around 10.30pm on Monday, and Wu Yize punched the Crucible air and etched his name into snookering immortality, it was hard not to imagine that the sport had just changed in front of our eyes for ever.If Zhao Xintong broke through the glass ceiling for Chinese snooker 12 months ago, then the exploits of the newest Crucible king may have just shattered it into a thousand pieces. The boy who came to England as a 16-year-old with his father to pursue his dreams, living in a windowless flat in Sheffield with barely any money to his name, is the champion of the world. Continue reading...

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Guardian Sport
Wu Yize beats Shaun Murphy in thrilling final frame to win World Snooker Championship
Sports
5/4/2026

Wu Yize beats Shaun Murphy in thrilling final frame to win World Snooker Championship

Wu claims title 18-17 with decisive break of 85The 22-year-old is the second-youngest champion everAs the decisive pot went in at around 10.30pm on Monday, and Wu Yize punched the Crucible air and etched his name into snookering immortality, it was hard not to imagine that the sport had just changed in front of our eyes for ever.If Zhao Xintong broke through the glass ceiling for Chinese snooker 12 months ago, then the exploits of the newest Crucible king may have just shattered it into a thousand pieces. The boy who came to England as a 16-year-old with his father to pursue his dreams, living in a windowless flat in Sheffield with barely any money to his name, is the champion of the world. Continue reading...

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Guardian Sport
Wu Yize Reaches World Championship Final After Dramatic Win Over Mark Allen
Developing
Sports·5/3/2026AI summary

Wu Yize Reaches World Championship Final After Dramatic Win Over Mark Allen

Wu Yize became only the third Chinese player to reach the World Snooker Championship final after beating Mark Allen 17-16 in a dramatic semi-final at the Crucible. The 34th player to reach the final in Sheffield will face Shaun Murphy in Sunday's showpiece, having recovered from nerves to overturn a tense match where Allen missed a crucial black. Allen, 40, has now lost all three of his Crucible semi-finals.

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SCMP Sport
Shaun Murphy pegged back by John Higgins in World Snooker Championship semi-final
Developing
Sports·4/30/2026AI summary

Shaun Murphy pegged back by John Higgins in World Snooker Championship semi-final

John Higgins pegged back Shaun Murphy to level their World Snooker Championship semi-final at 4-4 in Sheffield. The four-time champion fought back after Murphy had led 3-1 at the mid-session interval, with the match a repeat of the 2009 final which Higgins won 17 years ago. Higgins was playing his 100th match at the Crucible and had also fought off Neil Robertson in a late night quarter-final on Wednesday.

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Guardian Sport
Shaun Murphy Reaches World Championship Semi-Finals As Defending Champion Zhao Xintong Crashes Out
Developing
Sports·4/29/2026AI summary

Shaun Murphy Reaches World Championship Semi-Finals As Defending Champion Zhao Xintong Crashes Out

Shaun Murphy defeated defending champion Zhao Xintong 13-10 to reach the World Championship semi-finals in Sheffield, ending Zhao's title defence in the process. The 43-year-old Murphy won four of the first five frames in the final session to overturn an 8-8 deadlock into a 12-9 lead before sealing victory with a break of 69. Zhao became the 21st player to fall victim to the 'Crucible curse' - first-time winners who failed to defend their crown. Murphy will face John Higgins, who beat Neil Robertson 13-10, while Mark Allen faces Wu Yize in the other semi-final.

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Guardian Sport
Murphy Ends Zhao's Crucible Defence Dreams with Quarter-final Victory
Developing
Sports·4/29/2026AI summary

Murphy Ends Zhao's Crucible Defence Dreams with Quarter-final Victory

Shaun Murphy defeated defending champion Zhao Xintong 13-10 to reach the World Championship semi-finals, ending the Chinese player's hopes of becoming the only first-time winner to retain the Crucible crown. The 43-year-old Englishman will face 51-year-old John Higgins in a repeat of the 2009 final, with Higgins becoming the oldest semi-finalist since Ray Reardon in 1985. Mark Allen also reached the last four with a 13-11 win over Barry Hawkins.

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BBC Sport
Shaun Murphy Reaches World Snooker Championship Semi-Finals as Defending Champion Zhao Xintong Falls to Crucible Curse
Developing
Sports·4/29/2026AI summary

Shaun Murphy Reaches World Snooker Championship Semi-Finals as Defending Champion Zhao Xintong Falls to Crucible Curse

Shaun Murphy defeated defending champion Zhao Xintong 13-10 to reach the World Snooker Championship semi-finals in Sheffield, becoming the 21st player to fall victim to the so-called Crucible curse. The 43-year-old Murphy won four of the first five frames in the final session to overturn an 8-8 deadlock. Meanwhile, Mark Allen also secured a semi-final spot with a 13-11 victory over Barry Hawkins after Hawkins committed a crucial blunder in the deciding frame.

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Guardian Sport
Shaun Murphy Reaches World Championship Semi-Finals as Defending Champion Zhao Xintong Falls to Crucible Curse
Sports
4/29/2026AI summary

Shaun Murphy Reaches World Championship Semi-Finals as Defending Champion Zhao Xintong Falls to Crucible Curse

Shaun Murphy defeated defending champion Zhao Xintong 13-10 to reach the World Championship semi-finals in Sheffield, becoming the 21st player to fall victim to the Crucible curse. The 43-year-old Murphy won four of five frames in the final session to overturn an 8-8 deadlock. Mark Allen also progressed after Barry Hawkins committed a crucial error in the deciding frame, winning 13-11.

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Guardian Sport
Shaun Murphy Reaches World Championship Semi-Finals as Defending Champion Zhao Xintong Falls to Crucible Curse
Sports
4/29/2026AI summary

Shaun Murphy Reaches World Championship Semi-Finals as Defending Champion Zhao Xintong Falls to Crucible Curse

Shaun Murphy defeated defending champion Zhao Xintong 13-10 to reach the World Snooker Championship semi-finals, becoming the 21st player to fall victim to the Crucible curse - first-time winners who failed to defend their crown. Murphy won four of the first five frames in the final session to overturn an 8-8 deadlock. Meanwhile, Mark Allen beat Barry Hawkins 13-11 after Hawkins made an unforgivable blunder in the closing stages.

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Guardian Sport
Defending Champion Zhao Xintong Knocked Out of World Snooker Championship by Shaun Murphy
Sports
4/29/2026AI summary

Defending Champion Zhao Xintong Knocked Out of World Snooker Championship by Shaun Murphy

Defending champion Zhao Xintong was knocked out of the World Snooker Championship in the quarter-finals by Shaun Murphy with a 13-10 defeat. The 29-year-old Chinese player, who became the first Asian world champion last year, fell victim to the 'curse of the Crucible' - no first-time champion has retained the title since the tournament moved to Sheffield in 1977. The 43-year-old Murphy, who won his first world title 21 years ago, is now two wins away from a second championship.

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Guardian Sport
Shaun Murphy Ends Zhao Xintong's World Championship Defence with Quarter-Final Victory
Developing
Sports·4/29/2026AI summary

Shaun Murphy Ends Zhao Xintong's World Championship Defence with Quarter-Final Victory

Shaun Murphy defeated defending champion Zhao Xintong 13-10 in the World Championship quarter-finals, ending the Chinese player's hopes of becoming the only first-time winner to retain the Crucible crown since 1977. The 43-year-old Englishman, seeking to repeat his 2005 success, produced a superb performance including breaks of 96, 80 and 70 to reach the last four for the sixth time. Mark Allen also advanced with a 13-11 victory over Barry Hawkins, keeping his bid to become the oldest first-time world champion in the modern era alive.

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BBC Sport
World Championship quarter-finals finely poised after epic evening session
Developing
Sports·4/28/2026AI summary

World Championship quarter-finals finely poised after epic evening session

Defending champion Zhao Xintong and Northern Ireland's Mark Allen both recovered from deficits to level their World Championship quarter-finals at 8-8 in what was described as arguably the best session of snooker at the Crucible this year. Zhao fought back against Shaun Murphy while Allen came from 5-3 down against Barry Hawkins. Neil Robertson holds a 5-3 lead over John Higgins, while Hossein Vafaei and Wu Yize are locked at 4-4.

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BBC Sport
Defending Champion Zhao Xintong Slips to 3-5 Deficit Against Shaun Murphy at World Championship
Developing
Sports·4/28/2026AI summary

Defending Champion Zhao Xintong Slips to 3-5 Deficit Against Shaun Murphy at World Championship

Reigning world champion Zhao Xintong surrendered a 3-0 lead as Shaun Murphy mounted a superb comeback to lead 5-3 in their World Championship quarter-final in Sheffield. Murphy, the 2005 winner, crafted a 69 break and won four consecutive frames to turn the match on its head. Meanwhile, Barry Hawkins opened up a 5-3 advantage against Mark Allen in the other quarter-final, compiling a century and three half-centuries before adding breaks of 75 and 63.

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BBC Sport
World Snooker Championship quarters: Zhao Xintong trails, Wu Yize will ‘enjoy next match’
Sports
4/28/2026

World Snooker Championship quarters: Zhao Xintong trails, Wu Yize will ‘enjoy next match’

Only eight players are left standing at the Crucible Theatre after the conclusion of the second round of the World Snooker Championship, and chances are a new winner might emerge next Monday. Four current and former champions, John Higgins, Neil Robertson, Shaun Murphy and reigning champion Zhao Xintong, are all in the upper half of the draw while four others who have yet to win a world title are on the other side of the bracket. Picking up where he left off at the Crucible Theatre on Tuesday...

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SCMP Sport
World Snooker Championship quarters: Zhao Xintong trails, Wu Yize to face Trump conqueror
Sports
4/28/2026

World Snooker Championship quarters: Zhao Xintong trails, Wu Yize to face Trump conqueror

Only eight players are left standing at the Crucible Theatre after the conclusion of the second round of the World Snooker Championship, and chances are a new winner might emerge next Monday. Four current and former champions, John Higgins, Neil Robertson, Shaun Murphy and reigning champion Zhao Xintong, are all in the upper half of the draw while four others who have yet to win a world title are on the other side of the bracket. Picking up where he left off at the Crucible Theatre on Tuesday...

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SCMP Sport
Eight Players Remain at World Snooker Championship as New Winner的可能性 Emerges
Developing
Sports·4/28/2026AI summary

Eight Players Remain at World Snooker Championship as New Winner的可能性 Emerges

Eight players remain at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield after the second round, with a new winner likely to emerge. Defending champion Zhao Xintong faces 2005 winner Shaun Murphy in the upper bracket, while four players without world titles compete in the lower half. China's Wu Yize beat four-time champion Mark Selby 13-11 to reach his first quarter-final.

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