Zhao Xintong v Ricky Walden live stream | German Masters 2022 preview
UK champion Zhao is targeting a second ranking title in eight weeks (Richard Sellers/PA Wire/PA Images)
Zhao Xintong goes head to head with Ricky Walden in the opening German Masters semi-final at the Tempodrom in Berlin on Saturday.
Both players arrive in the first of the last-four encounters on the back of commanding victories over former champions in the quarter-finals.
Zhao ended two-time winner Judd Trump’s quest to complete a hat-trick of titles with a comprehensive 5-1 success, while Walden defeated 2019 victor Kyren Wilson by the same scoreline.
World number nine Zhao is seeking a second ranking event crown in the space of eight weeks, following his fairytale breakthrough at the UK Championship last month.
The Cyclone has beaten two former World champions to reach the German Masters semi-finals for the first time.
In addition to his impressive victory over Trump, he overcame three-time Crucible king Mark Williams 5-3 at the start of the week, while also seeing off Tom Ford 5-1.
Walden, who had never previously progressed beyond the last 16 of this event, has also claimed notable scalps on the way to his second semi-final of the season after reaching the same stage at the Northern Ireland Open.
The three-time ranking event winner defeated recently crowned Masters champion Neil Robertson 5-3, while Scottish Open victor Luca Brecel was put to the sword 5-2 before his commanding rout of world number five Wilson.
The lowest-ranked player remaining in the tournament, world number 24 Walden is now just one win away from a first ranking event final appearance since the 2016 China Open.
This will be just the second meeting between the players, with Zhao prevailing 4-3 when they collided in the 2019 Indian Open qualifiers.
The winner of this encounter will play either Mark Allen or Yan Bingtao in Sunday’s final.
Play gets underway at 1pm GMT on Saturday with the match contested over the best of 11 frames at the Tempodrom in Berlin.