World Grand Prix snooker recap: Zhao Xintong roars back to beat Mark Selby and make snooker history in Hong Kong
By Matt Jones
Updated 05/02/2026 at 13:58 GMT
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Welcome to TNT Sports' live reporting from the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong as Zhao Xintong beat Mark Selby. Zhou Yuelong, Ali Carter and Wu Yize were also in action this afternoon as the last 16 continued. It followed Ronnie O'Sullivan's loss to Xiao Guodong earlier on Thursday as the Rocket failed to make his first ranking event quarter-final since October.
O'Sullivan sees funny side after wowing crowd with jump shot
Video credit: TNT Sports
THAT'S ALL FROM US
Thank you very for joining us this afternoon. We'll be back in the morning for action from the quarter-finals.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Selby's not the only former World Champion to crash out today. Ronnie O'Sullivan also lost as he was beaten by Xiao Guodong.
You can read our report here.
ZHAO PERFORMS SUPERB COMEBACK TO BEAT SELBY
Zhao Xintong reached the last eight of the World Grand Prix in incredible fashion, as he reeled off four frames in a row to beat Mark Selby 5-4.
The world champion looked destined for an early exit, after falling 4-1 down in double-quick time.
Selby had been in impressive touch in the early parts of the match, registering breaks of 90, 109 and 73 over the first three frames.
But Zhao showed he was in no mood to throw in the towel in as he reduced the deficit before the mid-session interval.
Although The Jester made it 4-1, aided by a 56, after the restart, Zhou then showed his class to take the match.
He started with a break of 81, before efforts of 140 and 112 made it 4-4, and completed the comeback in two visits in the decider.
The 28-year-old will now play Chris Wakelin in the last-eight, while there are six Chinese players in the quarter-finals, the most ever at a ranking event.
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Back-to-back tons from Zhao force decider against Selby
Video credit: TNT Sports
AROUND THE TABLES
Ali Carter 5-2 Yuan Sijun
Jak Jones 1-5 Zhou Yuelong
Wu Yize 5-3 Chang Bingyu
RECORD BREAKING TOURNAMENT
Zhou is the sixth Chinese player through to the quarter-finals. That's the most ever in a ranking event.
SELBY 4-5 ZHAO (0-85)
The last two reds on the table are on the right hand side of the table.
He pots one, then misses the black, but it doesn't matter.
It's another Chinese win in Hong Kong - he's through to the quarter-finals.
SELBY 4-4 ZHAO (0-64*)
And you cannot imagine Zhao is going to let this chance pass him by. He adds red, colour, red and then a pink, which means he is 63 ahead with 67 left on.
The next red takes us to snookers required.
SELBY 4-4 ZHAO (0-49)
"He's completely lost his cueing," says McManus of Selby, as he misses a red to the right corner by a good inch or two.
Worse still, he leaves an "absolute sitter" for Zhao to pot.
SELBY 4-4 ZHAO (0-49)
Near enough every shot is being applauded and/or cheered by the crowd in Hong Kong, too.
Zhao uses the rest to softly pot a red to reach a lead of 49, but falls short on the black.
It's a cut back, a delicate one, and it catches the near jaw.
Gasps of despair, this time, from the crowd.
Eight reds left on the table, so plenty of points for Selby. However, they are not in particularly appetising positions.
SELBY 4-4 ZHAO (0-48*)
Zhao reaches 23 for the break before playing a black, off which he needs to go into a cluster below the pink spot.
He does not finish ideally on them, but can still cut one home, and get position on the pink too.
He is full of confidence now. From the depths of 4-1 down, he is just a few shots away from a remarkable victory.
SELBY 4-4 ZHAO (0-18*)
So here we go. The decider. And Selby thinks he's started it well with a brilliant bit of cueing to send a straight red into the left corner from long range.
However, he cannot stop the white from following it in.
A foul, and a long red to the right pocket for Zhao. These are his bread and butter.
It it goes, and despite being low on the blue, he converts that and sends the cue ball in and out of baulk for position at the business end of the table.
With his next red, he opens up the pack. And now he is in the box seat for the first time.
AROUND THE TABLES
Ali Carter 4-2 Yuan Sijun
Jak Jones 1-4 Zhou Yuelong
Wu Yize 3-3 Chang Bingyu
SELBY 4-4 ZHAO (11-112)
The some problem is the final red, which is near the right cushion. Zhao swings the cue ball over to it and then pots it without any trouble whatsoever, bar having to use the rest.
The pink follows, and he perhaps does not get into the white enough this time, so leaves a mid-distance pot on the yellow.
That goes down though. So do all the colours. He finishes with a break of 112 and suddently it's a one-frame shoot-out!
SELBY 4-3 ZHAO (11-78*)
And win the frame he shall do. A brilliant exhibition of potting has kept him going from some tough situations. And we might even see another century.
SELBY 4-3 ZHAO (11-40*)
We know the Zhao way now. If there's the smallest chance of a pot, he will attempt it, and he picks out another plant to keep himself going.
Off that, he takes the yellow, and the positional play this time is perfect.
He should win the frame from here, claims McManus.
SELBY 4-3 ZHAO (11-30*)
Even worse than the miss, almost, is what he has left Zhao.
The World Champion has a straightforward, and nicely gains position on the pink, while also opening the pack up, from it.
The only minor issue is that the pink spot is taken, so it has to go right up against the black.
Cleverly, he frees up the pink spot with his next red, but it's surely end of break off his next shot, a clipped black, off which he fails to find position on one to pot.
SELBY 4-3 ZHAO (11-0)
From here, Selby just wants a chance to win it. And he gets his hand on the table first in frame eight, reaching 11 before a barely believable miss on the black.
It was straightforward and into the right corner. And Selby has sunk pretty much everything today. But this one does not go down. A lifeline for Zhao.
AROUND THE TABLES
Ali Carter 4-2 Yuan Sijun
Jak Jones 1-3 Zhou Yuelong
Wu Yize 3-2 Chang Bingyu
SELBY 4-3 ZHAO (0-140)
And a century he shall have, reaching it by firstly firing a red into the left middle before sending another black into the left corner.
This has been a terrific break, all started with that magnificent plant.
Can he add all the colours as well? Of course he can. 135 from Zhao. And now within one of Selby.
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Zhao produces 140 break to pull within a frame of Selby
Video credit: TNT Sports
SELBY 4-2 ZHAO (0-74*)
And the pace with which Zhao is potting these balls means he is quickly reaching the snookers required stage.
Another black takes him to 66 and needing a further red and colour. He sink one just below the pink spot, adds another black, and is now focused on that century mark.
SELBY 4-2 ZHAO (0-44*)
Off the next red, Zhao has to go up for the pink, which he pots, but its spot it taken, so instead is placed just behind.
Finally, he is regaining control of the cue ball here, with McManus describing one positional shot as looking "absolutely perfect."
He takes the black from it. The next red leaves him high on the black, but he regains control again. Selby might be getting a little nervous now.
SELBY 4-2 ZHAO (0-21*)
A shot from Selby leaves the cue ball right in the jaws of the right corner.
Zhao feels his best escape is a plant to left middle, and he delivers it perfectly, before adding a brown that is delicately cut back into the yellow pocket.
The way the balls have spread following his earlier shot give him a huge chance here, and the next red brings him onto the black.
The spider is required for the next shot, a straight red to the left corner, that really does wipe its feet before going in, but he can still add the black from it.
AROUND THE TABLES
Ali Carter 3-2 Yuan Sijun
Jak Jones 1-3 Zhou Yuelong
Wu Yize 3-2 Chang Bingyu
SELBY 4-2 ZHAO (0-94)
To get to three figures, he will have to release the final two reds, just below the pink spot.
He runs through into them off the pink, or at least he attempts to, instead catching them too thin.
A double is required to keep the break going, and a double he delivers, before the most remarkable fluke on the pink, following a huge miscue.
The next red stays up, but the break of 81 is his best of the match, and he's still fighting.
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'Hope his tip's okay!' - Marvelous miscue from Zhao flukes pink
Video credit: TNT Sports
SELBY 4-1 ZHAO (0-80*)
Frame ball is a red to the left corner, which he had accidentally flicked off the black.
It goes down though, and his focus must now be on a century.
SELBY 4-1 ZHAO (0-66*)
Zhao's positional play has not been great in this session, and he again loses a little bit of control of the cue ball on the next red.
He has to use the rest, but cuts it home. The black and then another red see him in prime position once more.
Now, the Chinese star is cleaning things up nicely, with reds going down and freeing up the path of another.
SELBY 4-1 ZHAO (0-35*)
An excellent Zhao safety a few shots later leaves Selby in a bit of bother, and his response comes up short, with a red to the left corner to go at.
Down it goes, followed by a blue. Off the second red, he can deftly flick the black into play.
"All of a sudden, this is becoming a pretty good chance," says McManus on commentary.
SELBY 4-1 ZHAO (0-13)
Zhao starts frame six with a trademark long red into the right pocket. That is about the only shot that has brought him some joy today.
He could roll in behind the green now, but that's not his style. He fires the brown home instead, then a loose red into the left corner.
The pink comes next, but with its spot taken, has to be placed behind the pack, which complicates things hugely.
The next red is a massive screw back, and the cue ball lands on the baulk cushion.
This time Zhao does take the safe option, going in tight to the yellow.
AROUND THE TABLES
Ali Carter 2-2 Yuan Sijun
Jak Jones 1-2 Zhou Yuelong
Wu Yize 3-1 Chang Bingyu
SELBY 4-1 ZHAO (86-2)
Indeed, Selby passes the snookers required stage quickly, as he finds position on the reds he needs to.
A huge fluke on a black a few shots later keeps him going, before the most delicate of cuts along the top cushion just stays up.
Job well done, though. He's one frame from the quarter-finals.
SELBY 3-1 ZHAO (*54-2)
Selby bounces back the table to see what he's been left. He starts with a red and black. The positional shot off the latter is not great, but he can stretch to sink one to the right corner, and hold for the black.
This could be a very quick kill in terms of the frame, given where the balls are set.
SELBY 3-1 ZHAO (30-2)
The resulting safety from Selby looks like it's left Zhao in a spot of bother, as the cue ball is tight on the baulk cushion.
There's ine red on the right cushion. It's a very, very tough pot. Zhao, though, sinks it. Outrageous pot, branded the best of the tournament so far by commentator Alan McManus.
The problem is he then misses a reasonably straightforward black.
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'Pot of the tournament' - Zhao sinks superb long red against Selby
Video credit: TNT Sports
SELBY 3-1 ZHAO (30-1)
Now a chance from Selby, and after a straightforward starter red, he takes that brown into the yellow pocket.
In doing so, the cue ball swings back up toward the pack, and he can start building a break of his own.
There are a couple of shots where he slightly runs out of position, including one where he goes up for the yellow.
That means the white needs to cannon into some reds at the other end of the table, but sadly the Jester's luck is out. He hits one, but there's no pot on.
SELBY 3-1 ZHAO (0-1)
A red comes up the table for Zhao to pot early in frame five, but he was always going to find it difficult to find a colour from there.
Never one to take a backward step, he attempts a very delicate cut back on a brown, but it doesn't go down.
BACK UNDERWAY
Okay; where do we go from here? Selby needs two frames for the victory, Zhao needs a huge comeback.
It is the World Champions who kicks things back off after the mid-session interval
AROUND THE TABLES
Ali Carter 1-2 Yuan Sijun
Jak Jones 1-2 Zhou Yuelong
Wu Yize 2-1 Chang Bingyu
SELBY 3-1 ZHAO (0-96)
A break of 37 is more than enough to clinch things for Zhao. He looks like he will stop there, as the two remaining reds are next to each other and up near the left corner.
He clips one down the table though, adds the pink and then brings the cue ball back for the remaining red too.
44, in the end. He heads to the interval on the scoreboard at last.
SELBY 3-0 ZHAO (0-67*)
Zhao does not have to wait long to put the frame to bed, though.
A loose safety shot from Selby leaves the World Champion with a red to the left corner. That goes down, so does the black.
He does then leave himself slightly out of position on the pink, but plays it nicely enough, and then adds a a red, which is frame ball.
SELBY 3-0 ZHAO (0-51)
Zhao does run out of luck though. He has to go in and out of baulk off the blue, there's no other option, but he lands in behind the black. End of break, but a very handy visit none the less.
SELBY 3-0 ZHAO (0-46*)
At some point, Zhao is probably going to have to open that black up. He attempts to do so when on 38, knocking a red into it.
The outcome is pretty decent, as the cue ball still comes up for position on the pink. But his shot off that lands short, with the white having to go all the way in and out of baulk. Or is it?
A quite remarkable screw shot sees him come off the side cushion instead. He holds for the blue. That was incredible.
SELBY 3-0 ZHAO (0-17*)
So; what has the World Champion got in the locker? He needs to win five of the remaining six frames, so his prospects are not looking great.
However, we know he's a great potter of long reds, and he opens up frame four with one into the right corner.
The yellow follows, and then a screw back through the pack to open them up.
He plays it beautifully. There's a lot for him to go out now. The only - minor - problem is that the black is tied off, so the cue ball is still having to do some work.
AROUND THE TABLES
Ali Carter 0-2 Yuan Sijun
Jak Jones 1-1 Zhou Yuelong
Wu Yize 2-1 Chang Bingyu
SELBY 3-0 ZHAO (73-64)
The reds have now all been cleaned up, a couple of them with pinks, the rest with blacks.
No, Selby goes up for the colours. That awkward blue will be the key ball. It has not budged from being by the green pocket.
Yellow and green go down before the Jester screws back off the brown for position on the blue.
He leaves the cue ball a couple of feet short of it, and playing off a couple of cushions for the pink, but he could not have hit it any better.
Outstanding stuff, as the white stops within potting range. That goes home. So does the black. What a fantastic break. He's 3-0 up!
SELBY 2-0 ZHAO (*24-64)
Selby duly converts, then plays a clever shot on the black, swerving the cue ball onto a red and the pink, which are nestled up against each other.
His next effort is slightly hampered, having to lean over a couple of balls, but that does not cause too much of a problem.
The Jest pots, adds the black, and is now closing that gap. The table is not too friendly though. The blue is up near the green pocket and there's one red near the right corner.
SELBY 2-0 ZHAO (0-64)
With the black spot held, it has to go on the blue spot. Zhao plays up for it, but after potting, the cue ball clips a red.
That leaves him with an awkward pot, which he manages to miss. But only just. It's hanging over the pocket.
SELBY 2-0 ZHAO (0-56*)
A lengthy safety battle follows, before Selby pushes two reds over towards the right corner.
The cue ball is behind the D, but Zhao still attempts the long red, and he sinks it nicely, followed by the pink.
From there, he can start picking things off and building that lead, with each red that disappears seemingly opening up the path for another.
SELBY 2-0 ZHAO (0-27)
Again, the break from Zhao to kick off the frame is slightly loose, pushing a red towards the right corner.
Selby attempts to pot, but it rattles the jaws and rolls away to safety.
A few shots later, Zhao is in, and there are some tidy pots until a loose positional effort means he has to go up for the final loose red, which is near the yellow.
The takes that, then, off the green, swings into the pack of 11. Or at least, that's the intent. He misses. End of break.
AROUND THE TABLES
Ali Carter 0-2 Yuan Sijun
Jak Jones 1-0 Zhou Yuelong
Wu Yize 1-1 Chang Bingyu
SELBY 2-0 ZHAO (109-3)
It’s another comprehensive break from Selby. He does eventually have to move away from reds and blacks, but only briefly.
The winning line for the frame comes and goes very quickly, and now it’s about making that three figure score.
The final red is slightly awkward, over towards the right hand cushion, but the Jester rolls it home for his 53rd century of the season.
The black follows, and the yellow, for a break of 109, before the green - tight on the baulk cushion - does not quite wriggle home from a delicate clip.
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Selby hits century break to go 2-0 up versus Zhao
Video credit: TNT Sports
SELBY 1-0 ZHAO (*48-3)
The key shot for Selby is screwing off the black and into the pack. He opens them up perfectly. That sets things up nicely for the break to keep going at quite a pace. Fair to say a century could be on the cards here - and a big one.
SELBY 1-0 ZHAO (*24-3)
A mistake comes from the cue of Zhao as he plays a safety shot that sees a red come over the left corner.
Selby deftly pots it, relying on the white to come over towards the black, which it does nicely.
The reds are reasonably well spread, so he does not have to do too much positionally over the next few shots. He's building another handy lead.
SELBY 1-0 ZHAO (0-3)
Zhao is now off the mark with a decent pot that will settle any nerves. The cue ball nestles close to the pink, above the pack, so there's no colour on.
That's the way it looks, anyway. He attempts to play safe off the yellow, but pots it! There's a wry smile from both players. Probably not the best time for a fluke! Either way, it's end of break.
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'Save the flukes for when you need them!' - Zhao pots without trying in second frame defeat
Video credit: TNT Sports
AROUND THE TABLES
Ali Carter 0-0 Yuan Sijun
Jak Jones 0-0 Zhou Yuelong
Wu Yize 1-0 Chang Bingyu
SELBY 1-0 ZHAO (91-0)
The next task is completing yet another century. There's a lovely positional shot off the black, running through off two cushions to nestle behind a couple of reds, that keep him going.
His next effort off the black isn't so good though, running into the penultimate red below the pink spot.
He has to play a double off the other one, on the right hand cushion, but misses.
A break of 90 though - a statement start.
SELBY 0-0 ZHAO (*68-0)
This has been very good from Selby, and at a speed that we've perhaps not been accustomed to in recent years.
He delicately plays around the pink and black spot, hitting the heart of the pocket every time. The break reaching 67 means snookers are already required.
SELBY 0-0 ZHAO (*29-0)
There's a moment of worry for Selby as he doesn't quite get into the cue ball off a black, and it leaves him a little out of position.
However, he rescues the situation expertly, using the rest to run-through a few more reds and regain control of the white.
The pink follows, and now he's looking very settled.
SELBY 0-0 ZHAO (*8-0)
It's a different story with his second red though, a confidence-boosting clip down the right hand side of the table into the same pocket.
A handy kiss off the brown leaves him with a couple of colours to go at, and he picks the blue, which is near the yellow pocket.
Of that, the Jester swings the cue ball around the angles and into the pack. It's a lovely contact, opening things up nicely. He has a chance to put up a score, here.
SELBY 0-0 ZHAO (1-0)
The poor break leaves the door open for Selby to pot the first red, a reasonably long range one into the right corner.
There is no colour for him to continue the break though, so instead he plays safe.
HERE WE GO
We are underway on, with Zhao breaking this match off - and it's not a good break either, as the cue ball catches the blue on the way back up the table
THIS LUNCHTIME'S ACTION
So we are down to the final four last-16 matches. Competing to get in the quarter-finals are:
Mark Selby vs Zhao Xintong
Zhou Yuelong vs Jak Jones
Wu Yize vs Chang Bingyu
Ali Carter vs Yuan Sijun
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
It was a fascinating morning session, with some interesting names progressing.
Asides from Guodong beating O'Sullivan, Chris Wakelin prevailed against Elliot Slessor (5-4), Si Jiahui defeated Pang Junxu (5-3) and Barry Hawkins was beaten 5-3 by Zhang Anda
GOOD MORNING!
Hello and welcome to our coverage of the second session from the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong!
It's already been a fascinating day, with Ronnie O'Sullivan tumbling out of the tournament after a 5-3 loss to Xiao Guodong this morning.
Coming up, the likes of Jak Jones and Ali Carter are in action, while our focus is on a fascinating tussle between Zhao Xintong and Mark Selby.
Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season on TNT Sports and discovery+
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