O'sullivan And Zhao Level In First Crucible Semi-final

Seven-time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan is level astatine 4-4 pinch Zhao Xintong aft an entertaining opening convention to their World Championship semi-final.

China's Zhao, 28, a erstwhile UK champion who is competing arsenic an amateur, showed fewer signs of nerves having reached nan azygous array set-up for nan first time, racing into a 2-0 lead pinch breaks of 60 and 62.

However, O'Sullivan, 49, appearing astatine this shape for nan 14th time, clicked into cogwheel and responded pinch 3 consecutive half hundreds of years of his ain arsenic he took nan adjacent 3 frames to lead 3-2.

The players past traded frames, pinch Zhao breaking nan correct area pouch potting nan achromatic while crafting an 86 to tie level astatine 4-4.

Their best-of-33 framework match, owed to beryllium played complete 4 sessions, will resume connected Friday astatine 10:00 BST.

Three-time Mark Williams and Judd Trump, nan 2019 Crucible champion, commencement their semi-final coming astatine 19:00 BST.