Zhao Xintong gave his honest opinion about Shaun Murphy after the Magician sent the defending champion home from the Crucible. Murphy edged a 13-10 quarter-final to inflict Zhao’s first defeat at the tournament since 2022, producing a stunning performance that books his place in the final four.
Zhao arrived in Sheffield as the overwhelming favourite to reclaim the title he won as an amateur 12 months ago. But he became the latest big name to fall, joining Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump and Mark Selby to head home earlier than they had hoped. Murphy joins Mark Allen in the semi-finals.
Zhao spoke to the BBC immediately after the match and was full of compliments for his opponent, saying: “Shaun played really well, he gave me big pressure and played perfect snooker today. He deserved to win.
“I felt some pressure [as defending champion] but I still felt alright. I tried to get better, but Shaun is a good player and he played very well so congratulations to him.
“I gave him some difficult long pots and he potted everything today.
“I’m looking forward to the new season, I can have a rest now and I’m happy. Hopefully next season I will have a strong comeback.”
Murphy, who required a near-perfect session of snooker to put away last year’s champion, returned the compliment and was keenly aware that he needed to play at such a high standard to progress.
He added: “I think when you’re playing great players, which Zhao Xintong unquestionably is, it makes it straightforward for you.
“At 3-0 down, if you’d said I would have been level going into the last session, I’d have snapped your hand off.
“Even though I lost the second session, I was able to get myself in a good headspace for today and I just knew that I had to come out, be somewhere near my best and I think I was. I’m delighted with how I played.”
Murphy and Allen will be joined by one of Wu Yize or Hossein Vafaei, and the winner of John Higgins against Neil Robertson.
Though the sole remaining Englishman, Murphy, admitted to the BBC that he will try to avoid watching the latter of the remaining semis, where his opponent will be decided.