Shaun Murphy Levels Zhao Xintong at 9-9 in Crucible Quarter-Final
shaun murphy and Zhao Xintong were level at 9-9 in their World Snooker Championship quarter-final on Table One at the Crucible. Murphy still needed three more frames to reach the semi-finals, with the best-of-25 match set to go to Wednesday.
Crucible Pressure on Table One
The match had reached the point where every visit mattered. Murphy had started to build another decent break, but it stalled on 40 when the cue ball finished tight on the side cushion, and he had also been eyeing his first century break of the match.
He did at least force Zhao into the snookers required stage earlier in the session by potting the balls he needed, and then won another frame in the match. That kept the quarter-final alive on a table where neither player had found a decisive edge.
Allen, Robertson and Wu
While Murphy and Zhao stayed locked together, Mark Allen beat Barry Hawkins 13-11 to book a semi-final place. That result made Allen the first player from this batch of quarter-finals to move through.
Elsewhere, Neil Robertson led John Higgins 9-7 and was due to resume at 19:00 BST. Wu Yize also held a 6-5 lead over Hossein Vafaei on Table Two, leaving the rest of the last-eight ties hanging over the closing day.
Wednesday at the Crucible
The frame count leaves Murphy with a simple task and a hard one: take three more frames before Zhao does. With the quarter-finals scheduled to conclude on Wednesday, the next session will decide whether Murphy moves on or Zhao turns the level score into a winning finish.
For Murphy, the immediate target is not style but control. If he can turn the kind of break that stopped at 40 into a bigger one, the match shifts quickly; if not, Zhao is already close enough to punish the next opening.
