SHEFFIELD, England (AP) — Zhao Xintong’s title defense at the world snooker championship ended in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old Chinese player, who last year became the first Asian to win snooker’s biggest prize, was beaten 13-10 by Shaun Murphy of England.
It means that still no first-time winner of the world championship has retained the title since the tournament moved to its spiritual home of the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, northern England, in 1977. In snooker circles, it is called the “Crucible curse.”
“All this season I have had big pressure but now it is gone,” Zhao said. “I trust myself to come back strongly.”
There will be Chinese representation in the quarterfinals, though, in the form of 22-year-old Wu Yize, who beat Iran’s Hossain Vafaei 13-8. Vafaei had ousted top-ranked Judd Trump in the second round and said he was trying to bring happiness to his nation during the Iran war.
In the semifinals, Wu will play Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen, who defeated two-time runner-up Barry Hawkins 13-11.
Murphy, the 2005 champion, will play either four-time winner John Higgins of Scotland or 2010 champion Neil Robertson of Australia in the last four.
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