Zhao Xintong left Alan McManus and Matthew Stevens almost speechless after winning 10-1 against John Higgins in the Tour Championship semi-finals. The world champion won nine consecutive frames during a dominant display to reach Sunday’s final against world number one Judd Trump.
Zhao, 29, made one long pot early in the sixth frame with a red ball covering half the pocket that McManus said was the best shot he had ever seen. The crowd inside Manchester Central Convention Complex applauded vociferously in response to that miraculous feat, and it left former players-turned-pundits waxing lyrical.
« He has been amazing again, » McManus told Channel 5. « How do you hurt him on the table, and how do you get to him mentally?
« There is one shot in particular that, I believe, is the best shot I’ve ever seen; it was that good. He only has half a pocket, but he barely hits the cue ball; it is mesmerising. You run out of things to say. I am glad I was not in the comms box, as you would not know what to say. »
Matthew Stevens agreed. The one-time UK champion said: « He only had half a pocket to aim at, it is just like a laser. It is unbelievable. He is like a machine, it is fantastic to watch. »
Stevens added: « He is like watching a computer game; he literally does not miss anything easy. His long potting puts you under all sorts of pressure to get good safety. He just keeps knocking them in; you run out of things to say about him. »
Zhao was understandably pleased with his performance, saying: « I played well, and I am very happy to reach the final. My cueing was very good, I tried not to think too much – I just enjoyed the table and concentrated on the balls.
« This season I have been in four finals, and I am enjoying every moment and trying to get better. To play Judd in a final for the first time will be a big moment for me; it will be very tough. »
Zhao has won all three of his finals this year and beat Higgins in the most recent one in February. He won the Players Championship in Telford two weeks after taking the World Grand Prix title in Hong Kong.
The other final was a non-ranking event, the Riyadh Season Championship in Saudi Arabia, where he beat Neil Robertson back in November. Zhao beat Trump in the semi-finals of that tournament late last year, triumphing 4-3, which remains their most recent meeting.
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