Zhao Xintong made headlines in his inaugural World Championship semi-final, impressing not only Ronnie O’Sullivan but also the Crucible’s surroundings.

During the final frame of the first session, the Chinese left-hander literally broke a pocket rail while potting a red, disrupting O’Sullivan’s rhythm and securing the frame, leveling the match at 4-4 against the seven-time champion in an exhilarating opening session.

The matchup between the seasoned player and the promising rookie drew a standing ovation, showcasing high-quality snooker where every frame, except one, featured breaks of 60 or more. O’Sullivan, using a new cue tip, displayed some of his finest play in the championship, but Zhao held his ground, matching him frame for frame.

For O’Sullivan, focusing on claiming a record eighth Crucible title, there was little room to dwell on his opponent. However, Zhao, amid intense competition, likely appreciated the caliber of snooker being played, having contributed to it himself.

Once a hero to Zhao, O’Sullivan has transitioned into a mentorship role, providing coaching during his trips to China.

“I enjoyed it. It’s always fulfilling to share your expertise with other players and see if you can assist them,” said O’Sullivan, 49, acknowledging the talent of the 28-year-old Zhao.

“He’s an exceptional player and will continue to improve and strengthen. He’s an outstanding talent.”

Zhao had previously held the rank of world No. 9 before facing a suspension due to a match-fixing scandal that affected ten Chinese players, resulting in lifetime bans for Liang Wenbo and Li Hang. Consequently, Zhao spent last year’s World Championship watching from home, serving a 20-month suspension.

Having returned stronger from what he described as a “little mistake,” Zhao has emerged as a more formidable player.

There has been discussion around whether his punishment was sufficiently severe, but O’Sullivan believes it’s time to forgive and move forward, especially as Zhao’s offenses involved betting rather than match manipulation.

“I think it was unfortunate for some of the players,” O’Sullivan remarked. “They didn’t seem truly involved. It felt harsh for many.”

“Some were definitely implicated, but for others, it seemed a bit unfair. I’m not fully aware of the details, but it appears Zhao may have been caught due to some naivety.”

Before the first frame, O’Sullivan greeted Zhao with a friendly smile, yet he proceeded to pot the cue ball on his break-off, leading to a 60 break by Zhao that granted him the first frame. Displaying confidence, Zhao capitalized again in the second frame to move ahead 2-0.

Responding swiftly, O’Sullivan won three consecutive frames in a thrilling start. However, Zhao fought back to level the score before O’Sullivan regained the lead with an 82 break. In a missed opportunity, O’Sullivan failed to pot a black, allowing Zhao to reclaim momentum and tie the match.

The final red resulted in the pocket rail being broken as Zhao sank it, clearing the remaining colors, which amusingly included a rogue ball lying on the floor. The pink and black went into the same pocket, joining the red on the carpet as Zhao completed an 86 break, much to the crowd’s delight.

The semi-final, contested as a best-of-17 frames, will resume on Friday morning. The victor will face either Judd Trump or Mark Williams, who are set to begin their semi-final on Thursday night.