Zhao beats Ding to reach last eight

Zhao Xintong beat Ding Junhui 13-9 in a high-profile all-Chinese clash at the 2026 Snooker World Championship to book his place in the quarter-finals and move a step closer to retaining the title. He will next face Shaun Murphy.

The last-16 match was played over 25 frames across three sessions and drew major attention as a meeting between two leading figures from different generations of Chinese snooker. Ding said before the match that “whoever wins, it’s the same,” with the contest seen as a broader showcase of China’s strength in the sport.

The opening session ended 4-4. Zhao took control in the second session as his long-potting and break-building clicked, but the score remained tight and he led 9-7 heading into the decider.

Ding struck first in the third session, grinding out a frame to close to 8-9. Zhao responded immediately with two straight frames to restore a three-frame cushion at 11-8. Ding then compiled a 76 break in frame 20 to cut the deficit to 9-11, but Zhao hit a 108 century after the interval to move to match point at 12-9. In frame 22, Ding missed a red with the rest, and Zhao capitalised to seal a 13-9 win.

Zhao made three centuries (116, 115 and 108) and five further breaks of 50 or more, with a reported long-pot success rate of 71%. Ding produced multiple 50+ breaks and showed resilience in safety exchanges, but was unable to turn the match around.

Murphy reached the last eight with a 13-3 win over Xiao Guodong and will meet Zhao in a best-of-25 quarter-final, also played over three sessions. The first session is scheduled for 5:00pm Beijing time on April 28, with the second at 2:00am on April 29 and the third at 9:30pm on April 29.