Ronnie O’Sullivan Knocked Out of World Snooker Championship Semi-Finals, Misses Final in Thrilling Finish
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN has been eliminated from the World Snooker Championship in the semi-finals following a 7-17 loss to Zhao Xintong.
O’Sullivan missed the opportunity to reach another Crucible final and must now extend his wait to surpass Stephen Hendry’s record of seven World Snooker titles.
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The Rocket, aged 49, faced a heavy defeat against Zhao, an amateur who recently returned after a 20-month suspension linked to a match-fixing scandal.
O’Sullivan’s participation in the tournament surprised many, as he had missed five events in 2025 due to health concerns.
However, he appeared to regain his form, defeating Si Jiahui, Junxu Pang, and longtime rival Ali Carter to reach the semi-finals for a remarkable 33rd consecutive year at the World Championships.
O’Sullivan himself was taken aback, describing his performance as “awful,” likening it to a swan.
This perspective may have affected him against Zhao, who took control during the Friday sessions, achieving victory with a session remaining.
After the frames were tied at four each, O’Sullivan made the unexpected choice to change the tip of his cue MID MATCH.
Upon returning to the table, Zhao won ALL EIGHT frames, leaving the Crucible audience amazed.
The evening session saw a more balanced competition, but Zhao’s strong start proved too difficult for O’Sullivan to overcome.
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Next, the 28-year-old will face the winner of the Judd Trump vs. Mark Williams match in the final on Sunday.
The Chinese Cyclone returned to the amateur circuit last September following a 20-month suspension for being involved in match-fixing.
Ronnie O’Sullivan gives concerning interview despite World Snooker Championship victory
Zhao was found guilty of betting on match results over a three-year period and was involved in fixing two snooker matches.
While he didn’t directly fix any matches, he received a reduced sentence due to his early admissions and guilty plea.
World Snooker Championship 2025
WE are BACK at the Crucible for another thrilling fortnight of snooker action!
A new champion will be crowned this year after reigning champion Kyren Wilson was eliminated in the first round by a strong performance from Lei Peifan.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is chasing a historic EIGHTH World Snooker Championship title, while World No 1 Judd Trump remains the favorite to win the tournament.
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