world snooker championship 2026 quarter-finals

Reigning world champion Zhao Xintong let a 3-0 lead slip as Shaun Murphy fought back to claim a 5-3 lead in the opening session of their World Championship quarter-final. Zhao, 29, has openly talked about the pressure of defending his crown and lifting the 'Crucible curse' that has followed first-time winners at the famous Sheffield venue, but began in scintillating fashion. A break of 122 suggested Zhao had picked up from where he left off against Ding Junhui in the second round, and when he pinched the second frame and made a half century in the third, he had established a healthy advantage.