Shanghai Masters snooker semi-finals LIVE - Kyren Wilson coasts past struggling Zhao Xintong to secure final meeting with Ali Carter
By Patric Ridge
Updated 02/08/2025 at 15:37 GMT+1
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Welcome to LIVE coverage from the Shanghai Masters semi-finals on Saturday. 2024 Crucible king Kyren Wilson, the world No. 2, completed a 10-5 win over Zhao Xintong after hitting back from 5-4 behind to reel off six straight frames. He will take on two-time world finalist Ali Carter, who defeated Mark Selby 10-8 on Friday, in Sunday's final live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
'It's no good' - Wilson and Zhao leave the table after bizarre scoreboard malfunction
Video credit: TNT Sports
Kyren Wilson reeled off six straight frames to secure a place in the final of the Shanghai Masters with a one-sided 10-5 win over world champion Zhao Xintong on Saturday.
A struggling Zhao had led 5-4 after the opening session of the second semi-final, boosted by two centuries, but endured a forgettable second session by squaundering numerous chances in suffering a 6-0 whitewash.
Wilson showed all his matchplay qualities as breaks of 70, 101 and 51 and a superior tactical game in the evening's play saw him cruise into the final, a decade after he defeated Judd Trump 10-9 to claim his maiden major title in Shanghai.
Zhao missed a black off the spot on 23 when he looked poised to move 6-4 ahead and never really recovered as his prolific scoring game deserted him, with his top runs of 113, 59, 95 and 121 all coming in the first half of the match.
The 2024 world champion Wilson will meet fellow Englishman Ali Carter in Sunday's best-of-21 frame final for the trophy and £210,000 first prize, live from 7am BST on TNT Sports and discovery+.
2010 winner Carter continued his theme of comeback wins by claiming the final four frames in a 10-8 victory over Mark Selby in the first semi-final, after doing likewise from 5-2 behind in 6-5 wins over Mark Williams in the last 16 and Xiao Guodong in the quarter-finals.
Result: Wilson 10-5 Zhao
Wilson 9-5 Zhao (73-15)
Think Zhao has seen enough of this match. Wilson puts away blue he requires to leave Zhao needing two snookers. But he won't get them. Zhao shakes the hand of Wilson. A 10-5 win for Kyren, who advances to the final.
Wilson 9-5 Zhao (54-7)
On the brink here in Shanghai. A match with Ali Carter could be quite the final on Sunday.
Wilson 9-5 Zhao (39-7)
Kyren with chance to get this match wrapped up with a 6-0 session whitewash.
Wilson 9-5 Zhao (25-7)
Zhao with another fine long red early on, but then misses another easy cut on a red seconds later. Looking a bit deflated out there. White then drops down a baulk pocket. A bit of a nightmare for the world champion.
Wilson 9-5 Zhao (21-0)
Kyren being handed so much scope to score. Enjoying the freedom of Shanghai out there. 15 added for a lead of 21 points before he knocks white safe.
Wilson 9-5 Zhao (14-0)
Not much for the home fans to shout about this evening. All gone a bit wrong for Zhao out there this evening. Could lose all six frames in this session.
Wilson 8-5 Zhao (58-1)
And another frame slips aways from Zhao, who has seen enough of this frame. A 9-5 lead for Kyren, who requires one more frame to book his spot in the final.
Wilson 8-5 Zhao (58-1)
Zhao requiring two snookers otherwise this is a fifth straight frame in the bag for the 2024 world champion.
Wilson 8-5 Zhao (54-1)
So many chances being offered up by Zhao. Wilson picking off balls almost in little batches. Crawling towards the frame. Zhao goes for a tricky red towards the right centre. Nowhere near the potting angle. Looks like a done deal now.
Wilson 8-5 Zhao (48-1)
Get feeling Zhao has run his race in this match. Level of tactical skill has not been good enough as he sticks up another red for Wilson to drop in from distance. All gone a bit scrappy out there, but Kyren picking the scraps up.
Wilson 8-5 Zhao (35-1)
But he misses the black off spot. Just when it looked so good. Didn't see that one coming. Is there yet a twist in this contest?
Wilson 8-5 Zhao (27-1)
Kyren raced away from Ronnie in the previous round, and he is doing likewise here at the moment. Lovely shot to land on black from a mid-range red. Closing in on a 9-5 advantage, it would seem.
Wilson 8-5 Zhao (13-1)
Zhao failing to trouble Wilson with the tactical side of matters. Which is an obvious issue when you aren't scoring either. Chance then for Kyren to really put his foot down here. Must sense a wounded opponent out there.
Wilson 8-5 Zhao (0-1)
Wilson breaks off the balls for frame 14 in Shanghai. Zhao clips away a breathtaking long red straight away, but then misses black off spot.
Latest: Wilson 8-5 Zhao (0-0)
Wilson 7-5 Zhao (62-34)
A break of 51 from Kyren should be more than enough. Zhao leaves brown seconds later, and that should be that. Set to head for a 15-minute break clutching a three-frame lead. Zhao has seen enough. He concedes. Four straight frames from Wilson.
Wilson 7-5 Zhao (49-31)
Kyren putting away the balls he requires with some ease. Very efficient, very clinical as he hits the colours. Zhao has had chances. Not taken. And this looks like 8-5 incoming.
Wilson 7-5 Zhao (7-31)
Zhao battling hard to get his cue arm working, but isn't landing nicely on colours with reds. Superb pot is unearthed on blue. But he then misses a red into a top pocket. Story of the second session really.
Wilson 7-5 Zhao (7-20)
Kyren quite happy to mix it up on safety side too. "He's a step ahead in the safety stakes this evening is Kyren," comments former Masters champion Alan McManus on comms.
Wilson 7-5 Zhao (6-15)
Zhao ends up seeing the white spin into a top pocket after going into pack off blue. Disappointing for him and the home crowd.
Wilson 7-5 Zhao (0-9)
All big frames now, but you do wonder if Zhao has the minerals to retrieve a three-frame deficit with Kyren clearly in the mood. Who says he is going to fall three behind. Stunning long red early in the 13th frame to land on the black. Different levels right there.
Wilson 6-5 Zhao (62-41)
Another fine escape by Zhao from a snooker when he needs one of his own. Home fans willing Zhao to come up with some magic late in this elongated frame. Blue isn't holed by Kyren as frame somehow continues. Zhao eventually concedes the frame after sticking up blue. A 7-5 lead for Kyren.
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'A quickfire 101' gives Wilson 'terrific' start in semi-final second session
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wilson 6-5 Zhao (62-37)
This game of cat-and-mouse continues on the brown after Zhao opts to slot yellow and green. Frame running for 30 minutes too. Which is a bit of an outlier in the grand scheme of things.
Wilson 6-5 Zhao (62-32)
Fine escape by Kyren to hit the yellow before he repeats the trick off two cushions seconds later. Zhao then stuns in behind black, but again Kyren gets the job done.
Wilson 6-5 Zhao (62-32)
Down to the colours in what has been a scrappy frame by their high standards. Zhao battling for the snooker he needs to stay in the hunt.
Wilson 6-5 Zhao (62-26)
28 from Kyren this time. Inching towards winning line in frame with two reds left on deck. Wilson left an easy red after Zhao can't slide home a tough red across table to yellow bag. In goes red from Kyren, and his opponent requires a snooker.
Wilson 6-5 Zhao (47-25)
27 from Wilson, but he then misses a straight red. Can't believe he has missed that. But Zhao then breaks down quickly seconds later as red to left centre eludes him. Big moments in this match. Kyren back at the table.
Wilson 6-5 Zhao (19-18)
Wilson can't escape from a snooker, but isn't punished as Zhao sees a red along top cushion fail to drop. Another big chance presented to Kyren that he perhaps didn't expect. Zhao feeling some heat all of a sudden.
Wilson 6-5 Zhao (6-14)
Well then. Zhao missing a red with the rest when he looked set to embark upon another scoring spree. Kyren quickly out of his chair. And only makes six that time. Perhaps a bit of tension in the air.
Wilson 6-5 Zhao (0-7)
Two more frames to come before the mid-session interval. Zhao trying to engineer some sort of plant, but played well as a shot to nothing. Wilson leaves the white short of baulk line with safety response. Zhao gives the long red full attention to slam it home.
Wilson 5-5 Zhao (101-0)
And there we have it. Up comes the ton. His sixth century of his tournament. No clearance, but 101 is simply sublime.
Wilson 5-5 Zhao (70-0)
A quite delightful positional shot to take the white in and out baulk off the blue. Back down for a loose red. Zhao just playing the role of spectator in Shanghai. Outstanding from Kyren.
Wilson 5-5 Zhao (45-0)
Such a very good player to watch these days. Moving at a fair old pace when he is among the balls. Stunning recovery pot on a pink to keep this break going. Looks like he could be moving 6-5 clear in no time at all. It is kill or be killed out there.
Wilson 5-5 Zhao (29-0)
Kyren quickly out of the traps in the 11th frame as he bangs home a long one early doors. What will he make at this visit?
Wilson 4-5 Zhao (75-31)
Rapid piece of scoring here from Kyren. Bossing the white ball with some relish. Red doesn't drop, but 70 is likely to be the end of this frame. Looks like 5-5 in this second semi-final. Unless Zhao can find a snooker. And Zhao ends up conceding after failing to escape from a snooker. We are once again level pegging. Phew! some match this...
Wilson 4-5 Zhao (47-23)
Kyren looking to score heavily with the balls that Zhao could have taken. Always feels a bit better you suspect when you let your opponent see what they could have won.
Wilson 4-5 Zhao (16-23) - play resumes
So a bit of a malfunction with the scoring systems seems to have rectified itself. Wilson handed golden chance to get hand on table after Zhao missed that straight black.
Wilson 4-5 Zhao (0-23) - delay in play
But the world champion then misses a simple black off spot. That is astonishing. And looks like the players might have to come off here. A scoreboard isn't working in the main arena. Some music getting cranked up in Shanghai. But the referee and players are heading for a break until this unusual situation is resolved.
Wilson 4-5 Zhao (0-23)
What a thumping long pot from Zhao. Bit of delay in proceedings due to a fault with some sort of equipment. But Zhao taking it all in his stride. Right into the pack off blue seconds later and they have split magnificently. Then slots a black off cushion. That is so good.
Wilson 4-5 Zhao (0-0)
Right then. Let's get ready to rumble. What are we going to see here? Average frame time so far is only 13 minutes. All very fast and furious so far. The previous two world champions chasing a spot in the final against Ali Carter tomorrow. They play to a finish, right here, right now. First man to 10 frames will advance.
STILL TO COME
Right then, that's all for the first session of an intriguing semi-final.
We'll be back to cover session two from 12:30 BST.
A BAD MISS
Wilson recovered from this to win the next frame, but it's an example of just how swiftly frames can change when the pressure is on.
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Wilson misses 'rudimentary pot' in decisive moment against Zhao
Video credit: TNT Sports
ZHAO EDGES AHEAD
This best-of-19 encounter is turning into the thriller we promised earlier.
It is 5-4 in Zhao's favour as session one comes to a close.
Ali Carter is waiting for the victor in tomorrow's final.
WILSON 0-125 ZHAO (4-5)
What a break, and what a frame, from Zhao, whose second ton of this semi-final means it is he who takes a one-frame lead into session two of this Shanghai Masters semi-final.
WILSON 0-105 ZHAO (4-4)
There's the century! A sixth of the tournament for Zhao. What a brilliant break this has been from the world champ.
WILSON 0-69 ZHAO (4-4)
Expertly done by Zhao – the frame is all but his as he sinks a red into the top-left corner, and now it's just a case of seeing how high he can go in this break.
WILSON 0-44 ZHAO (4-4)
Zhao is making Kyren pay! He gets into his groove, working his way through the reds while never straying far from the black.
The 28-year-old is looking good to take frame nine, and the lead heading into session two.
WILSON 0-4 ZHAO (4-4)
A little shake of the head from Kyren as he weighs up his options. There's lots of free reds but it's the positioning that's the issue.
He eventually plumps for a red to centre-left, but misses. Can Zhao make him pay?
WILSON 0-4 ZHAO (4-4)
A cagey opening sees it take a fair few shots before we have our first score, as Zhao takes first blood with a red into middle-left, which he follows up with a green.
He misjudged the pace badly, though, and then can't make the next red. In the process, he breaks up the bunch and leaves the black open, though it will not be simple for Wilson.
WILSON 0-0 ZHAO (4-4)
The last frame of the first session of this Shanghai Masters semi-final is under way.
AS TIGHT AS THEY COME
Absolutely nothing to give between these two world-class competitors, then.
Who will edge themselves ahead going into the final frame of session one?
WILSON 95-8 ZHAO (4-4)
Well, if this were a tennis match, you'd say that each player was holding serve and we were destined for a tie-break.
Kyren, a 10-time champion on the Tour, works his way through the gears and clips his way to within five of the second ton of this encounter.
He is left with an awkward red, which he can't get close, but a break of 95 means it is honours even heading into the final match of the opening session.
WILSON 33-8 ZHAO (3-4)
That little breather between the frames looks to have done Kyren good, as he capitalises on a safety blunder from Zhao.
He has got his rhythm back here, and now has a 25-point lead, with a decent-enough set up on the table, too.
WILSON 0-8 ZHAO (3-4)
Kyren takes a time-out at the end of frame seven, so there is a slight delay before he gets things going again.
He tries to play safe off the break, but Zhao finds an angle to nail home a red, which he follows with the black.
However, an unfortunate bounce for Zhao when attempting a safety leaves Kyren with an opening. It's not one he manages to take advantage of, though the 2024 world champ gets lucky with a kiss off the blue, which narrows down Zhao's options.
WILSON 26-111 ZHAO (3-4)
Zhao makes no mistake! He is the player who grabs hold of this frame and pounces on Wilson's bad error.
He develops the reds coolly, revolving around the black, and then clips his way through the colours.
A cut on the black, at pace, wraps up an emphatic win for Zhao, who now knows he will round off the first session, at worst, only a frame behind.
WILSON 26-16 ZHAO (3-3)
Like Wilson before him, Zhao can't build up momentum, and now the pendulum could swing back into Kyren's favour.
He marks his return to the table with a steady long shot, but just as he looks to get going, he squanders a simple pot into the middle pocket!
Well, this frame is swinging one way and then the other.
WILSON 21-8 ZHAO (3-3)
Wilson can't keep his break going and Zhao comes back up and manages to squeeze in a red down the line.
He follows that up with a black and cannons off into the bunch, and now this could be Zhao's frame to lose!
WILSON 1-0 ZHAO (3-3)
A plant to start with from Kyren, what a shot!
He takes the lead in style in frame seven, clipping the corner of the bunch and cannoning in another red in the process.
CENTURY BREAK
Just the one ton so far in this match, but what a visit it was from Zhao.
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'As smooth as silk' - Zhao levels Shanghai semi-final with century
Video credit: TNT Sports
WILSON 126-0 ZHAO (3-3)
The great entertainer! The crowd love it as Wilson slams home the pink, and then just misses on the black, which he sent all the way around the table.
An emphatic response from Kyren, and it's three frames all.
WILSON 99-0 ZHAO (2-3)
Slick from Kyren, as he slots the black through the tighest of gaps and safely sinks it.
He's set on clearing up, here, despite this frame having been won already.
WILSON 71-0 ZHAO (2-3)
Zhao can't keep a red safe, and it's knocked in by Wilson as he comes back to the table. That will be the frame, and now it's just a case of Kyren clicking through the gears with a bit of practice.
WILSON 70-0 ZHAO (2-3)
The pink goes down into the top-right pocket, with Kyren having to stretch to make that shot.
His break comes to an end at 70 on the next shot, so Zhao is back up, but the world champ needs a snooker to get back into this frame.
WILSON 57-0 ZHAO (2-3)
Kyren puts himself in a difficult position but manages to retrieve the situation with a cool finish on the pink.
The reds look far from ideal, but Kyren is finding a way through them, showing his quality. Let's not forget, he's less than 18 months on from being crowned as world champion himself, and he now has a big lead as he looks to level up this match.
WILSON 8-0 ZHAO (2-3)
That's brave from Wilson, but he pulls it off, nailing the black through a crowd of reds.
If he can develop the reds now, then he's in prime position to go on and build a big score in this frame.
WILSON 1-0 ZHAO (2-3)
A cagey opening to frame six, as the duo tussle it out for position. Plenty of safety shots, until Kyren finally decides to play aggressively and strikes a long red into the top-left pocket.
WILSON 12-69 ZHAO (2-3)
Wilson concedes! He misses a routine pot into the top-right pocket, and gives up the frame.
Zhao leads 3-2.
WILSON 4-69 ZHAO (2-2)
Job done?
Kyren leaves a red open and, though it's a long shot for Zhao, he does not miss.
Zhao can't find the next colour, but Kyren would need a couple of snookers here to stand a chance.
WILSON 4-68 ZHAO (2-2)
A speedy bounce off the top cushion does leave Zhao poorly positioned, though he does only need one more red to get over the line.
However, what he does instead is look to get the black safe and tuck the cue ball behind the blue. He manages that, and with 67 left on the table, Kyren comes back to it trailing by 64.
WILSON 4-52 ZHAO (2-2)
Good powers of recovery shown by Zhao, there. He made no mistake on his second attempt at the same red, and then with Wilson unable to play it completely safe, capitalised to get back on the front foot and begin tallying up a score.
He develops the open reds nicely, utilising the black regularly to put some big distance between himself and Kyren.
There's a bunch of four reds still packed tightly together, but if Zhao finds a way to break those up, then this frame should be his. It might well be enough already.
WILSON 4-8 ZHAO (2-2)
Groans from the crowd, as Zhao leaves the black obscured by a red, meaning he has to play it safe.
Wilson then manages to play it off the cushion and, somehow, gets the cue ball to land just in front of the brown, making the next shot tricky for Zhao.
And it's too tricky, as the world champion doesn't manage to reach his next red.
AND, WE'RE BACK
Zhao, fresh off that century, gets frame five going.
HONOURS EVEN
No sign of a breakthrough yet in this second semi-final between Kyren Wilson and Zhao Xintong. Both of them have made some mistakes, but both have shown composure when required, too, with Zhao building up the biggest break so far.
There's another five breaks to go in this first session.
WILSON 6-113 ZHAO (2-2)
The century is up! It's a 50th ton at this edition of the Shanghai Masters, and a fifth of the tournament for Zhao.
He completed the hundred with a tidy yellow, and then he works his way methodically up the table and through the colours, until he misses on the pink.
But what a break from Zhao – 113 in total – as he levels this semi-final at 2-2 heading into the first interval.
WILSON 6-70 ZHAO (2-1)
The frame is, surely, done and dusted as Zhao plants the pink into the middle pocket. He'll stay at the table, of course – he'll be sensing a century.
WILSON 6-39 ZHAO (2-1)
Without looking particularly comfortable, Zhao has pulled out some superb finishes, the last of which saw him squeeze in a red from a very acute angle.
The blue follows that, and then another red, with Zhao using the rest to help him – back for the blue, and then down to break up the bunch. Lovely stuff.
WILSON 6-0 ZHAO (2-1)
Wilson gets the first score of frame four on the board, and follows that up with the blue into the centre-right pocket.
He has to go firm, though, to try and get position off the next red, but he doesn't land it, and Zhao now has the chance to build up a decent contribution.
WILSON 79-31 ZHAO (2-1)
Fantastic break-building from Wilson, as he leaves Zhao stewing in his seat.
Kyren keeps himself at the high-scoring end of the table, developing the reds evenly around the black and the pink.
When those reds are cleared, he moves down the table for the stray red up that end, and though he then snookers himself on the blue, that is job done, with a lovely break of 75 doing the job for frame three. Kyren takes the lead!
WILSON 20-31 ZHAO (1-1)
It's cute from Wilson, who lands the cut and comes back down for the green.
He follows that up with another red into the top right, and the black goes into the opposite corner. He's right back in this!
WILSON 8-31 ZHAO (1-1)
What a shot!
Kyren returns to the table and he means business – he cuts a red onto the cushion and sends it cannoning into the opposite corner pocket. Sublime stuff, though Wilson is then not happy with his next effort, as a little touch when pocketing the green leaves a tricky cut on.
WILSON 4-31 ZHAO (1-1)
Zhao has to play safe, but he has built up a healthy 27-point lead.
WILSON 4-23 ZHAO (1-1)
This is brilliant from Zhao, who is getting into his stride in this break. Wilson is sat in his chair, no doubt lamenting that missed red. Could that be the moment that has decided this third frame?
WILSON 4-0 ZHAO (1-1)
Zhao misses a long red, handing Kyren the opening points in this frame, but the home favourite regains his composure on the next shot, and manages to trap Wilson behind the green.
Kyren does well to find the angle, using the top cushion to slice into the red, and Zhao then decides he wants to open up the bunch.
Wilson can't resist a long-range attempt into the top-left corner, but he misses, and now Zhao has a real chance to get going.
WILSON 0-0 ZHAO (1-1)
Zhao breaks, and we are up and away in frame three.
Just a reminder, there will be nine frames in this first session, and up to 10 in the second, so still plenty of snooker to go in this best-of-19 encounter.
THE FINALIST
The winner of this tie knows they will then have to take on Ali Carter in Sunday's showpiece.
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‘He’s making a career out of it!’ – Carter completes yet another comeback to reach final
Video credit: TNT Sports
WILSON 74-8 ZHAO (1-1)
A visit worth 66 comes to an end as Wilson misses a red, but he is out of sight and the frame is won.
A big response from the world number two, and it's 1-1!
WILSON 36-8 ZHAO (0-1)
Great play from Wilson, as he sends the green into the top-right corner and also manages to develop the reds nicely.
It should – and I stress, should – now be a relatively routine job for the 2024 world champion to breeze home in this frame.
WILSON 9-8 ZHAO (0-1)
Thankfully for Wilson, Zhao can't fully captialise, only managing to build up seven before he is forced into a safety.
So, honours even, though Kyren does see an opening to pot a red that sits just to the right of the green...
And he takes it! So the world number two now gets another chance to build a big score.
WILSON 8-1 ZHAO (0-1)
Another error! Wilson pots an open red and then slams the black home, cannoning off into the bunch and breaking up some reds.
Yet the next shot goes amiss! It's another long one, and like in the first frame, Wilson can't hold the line.
WILSON 0-1 ZHAO (0-1)
Wilson breaks, but he leaves a red wide open. It's a long effort from Zhao, yet he nails it.
But... Oh dear! A simple enough black is then missed by Zhao, and it hovers dangerously over the corner. Wilson back at the table now, and he will be sensing an opportunity...
WILSON 24-70 ZHAO (0-1)
Yep, that's it! Wilson concedes and Zhao takes the first frame.
The world champion leads this Shanghai Masters semi-final 1-0.
WILSON 24-64 ZHAO (0-0)
Zhao goes for a safety, having a 40-shot lead, but it's a quick visit to the table for Wilson, who did not appear to play with much in mind.
However, his next trip is much more considered, as he attempts to trap Zhao behind the pink. The world champion, though, finds a route out, potting the open red.
A poor miss on the yellow ends Zhao's trip, but that will be it for this frame, surely.
WILSON 24-52 ZHAO (0-0)
That could be the pot that hands Zhao the frame! He finds the angle to find the top-left corner with a red, and now the table has opened up. This is his to lose...
WILSON 24-51 ZHAO (0-0)
Miss! Poor from Zhao, who misses the reds at the top of the table and it's called a foul, and a free ball.
Now, can Wilson make Zhao pay on this occasion?
WILSON 20-51 ZHAO (0-0)
An error from Zhao, but he gets away with it. He failed to create an angle for a red when coming down from the green, though the 28-year-old nevertheless tried his luck.
Wilson, though, could not pounce on that mistake, and now we're back into a tactical tussle, but Zhao holds a 31-point lead.
WILSON 20-22 ZHAO (0-0)
A foul from Wilson gifts Zhao free points, and a free ball. He makes Wilson play again, and the world number two does manage to hide the white behind a couple of reds on the top cushion.
Zhao, though, has the angle to cut into the middle pocket, and he does just that, and now he could be on his way...
WILSON 20-17 ZHAO (0-0)
A nip-and-tuck opening frame so far, with Wilson missing a relatively simple pot and enabling Zhao to get on the table.
Wilson manages to build up some momentum, though, before we get embroiled in a cagey bit of tactical play, with plenty of reds stacked at the top of the table.
WE’RE OFF
Zhao gets us under way in this semi-final.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Just the one meeting between these two previously, with Zhao — who is ranked as the world number 11 at the moment — triumphing at the German Masters in 2020.
Zhao, the first Chinese player to win the World Championships, has drawn a big crowd for this semi-final, which will be getting started momentarily.
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
This match features the last two world champions going up against each other.
The world number two beat the great Ronnie O’Sullivan en route to the last four, surging to a 6-3 victory over the seven-time world champion, who he has now defeated on three straight occasions.
Wilson won at the Crucible in 2024, while he also claimed his first career title here in Shanghai 10 years ago. Zhao is playing on the tour for the first time since he won the World Championship in May — he beat Ding Junhui 6-1 in the quarters.
As mentioned, the Captain — Ali Carter — is into the final after beating Mark Selby 10-8 in Friday’s semi-final.
GOOD MORNING
We’re up bright and early to bring you LIVE updates from the second semi-final of the Shanghai Masters.
It promises to be a thriller, with World champion Zhao Xintong and world number two Kyren Wilson going head-to-head for a place in Sunday’s final, with Ali Carter waiting.
Grab yourself a coffee (other hot beverages are available), sit back and get ready to soak up all the action as it happens!
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