Zhao Xintong Dominates Jak Jones in World Snooker Championship

SHEFFIELD: Zhao Xintong from China showcased exceptional break-building skills, establishing a dominant 7-2 lead against Jak Jones in their opening-round match at the World Snooker Championship, held at the Crucible Theatre on Saturday.

The 2021 UK Champion, Zhao Xintong, capitalized on Jones’ initial errors by compiling a series of high-scoring breaks, notably including a remarkable 142 clearance, which stands as the highest break achieved in the tournament thus far.

He further solidified his command of the session at the Crucible Theatre by adding six more breaks exceeding fifty points.

Jones, the 16th seed who made headlines last year by reaching the final, managed a break of 99 in the third frame and secured the last frame of the session but was otherwise struggling.

The Welsh competitor faces a significant challenge when play resumes on Monday, as Zhao requires only three additional frames to secure his progression to the second round.

The victor will then compete against Lei Peifan in the Last 16, following Peifan’s defeat of defending champion Kyren Wilson on Saturday.

Zhao, aged 28, is participating in the World Championship as an amateur, having successfully navigated the qualifying stages. Despite his amateur status, he is considered a strong contender for the title on May 5.

In 2023, Zhao was among ten players sanctioned after an investigation into match-fixing. Although he did not intentionally lose any matches, he received a two-and-a-half-year suspension, which was later reduced to 20 months after he admitted involvement in another player’s match-fixing activities and placing bets on matches.

Having served his suspension earlier in the season, Zhao demonstrated his capabilities on the Q Tour and has now ensured his return to the professional circuit for the 2025-26 season.

In other matches at the World Snooker Championship, China’s Xiao Guodong defeated Matthew Selt of England with a score of 10-4, securing his place in the second round, where he is set to face either John Higgins or Joe O’Connor.

Xiao, currently ranked 14th globally, maintained a 7-2 lead from the previous day. Despite losing the first two frames of the final session, he rebounded by winning the subsequent three frames to clinch the victory and advance to the last 16.

Later today, Mark Allen of Northern Ireland will begin his quest for a first world title against Fan Zhengyi, with the aim of completing the Triple Crown.

Meanwhile, Mark Williams of Wales, a three-time champion, holds a slender 5-4 advantage heading into the final session of his opening match against Wu Yize.