Zhao Xintong v Xiao Guodong live stream | Wuhan Open Semi-Final preview
Zhao plays his first match since becoming the new world number one (Credit: Every Second Media/Alamy Live News)
New world number one Zhao Xintong locks horns with defending champion Xiao Guodong on Friday for a place in the Wuhan Open final.
The second semi-final will be a very popular one between two home favourites at Optics Valley Gymnasium, where the winner will face Ronnie O’Sullivan conqueror in Saturday’s showpiece in Chang Bingyu.
Whatever happens here, Zhao will climb to the summit of the WST rankings upon their revision at the conclusion of this event.
China’s second world number one, and the 13th overall, the Cyclone was involved in a four-way battle to replace Judd Trump, who needed to win this tournament to stay top.
World champion Wu Yize suffered a premature exit earlier in the week, and after Trump and Mark Selby bowed out in the quarter-finals earlier on Thursday, Zhao knew victory over fellow contender Neil Robertson would propel him to top spot.
He achieved it in emphatic fashion, too, with breaks of 106, 91 and 113 sealing a dominant 5-1 win, meaning he has now prevailed in all four of their meetings (excluding the Championship League) – and won 20 of the 23 frames they have contested.
Zhao has dropped just five frames on route to his ninth career ranking semi-final, and he has only ever lost at this stage on two previous occasions.
The Cyclone was a 6-3 winner over Xiao when they met in the last four of the World Grand Prix in March, before going on to lift the trophy.
He will hope that serves as a positive omen, but two-time defending champion Xiao is continuing to ride the crest of a Wuhan wave.
The Cyberman is firmly on course to become only the fifth player to complete a three-peat at a single ranking event, after Trump, Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis and Ray Reardon.
Having already defeated Wang Xinbo, Jackson Page and Chris Wakelin this week, a 5-3 victory over three-time World champion Mark Williams made it 18 straight wins for Xiao in Wuhan.
Whoever prevails here will face another Chinese opponent for the title, with Chang awaiting the winner in Saturday’s final.
The match breaks off at 12.30pm BST (7.30pm local time) on Friday and will be contested over the best of 11 frames at Optics Valley Gymnasium.
WATCH THE WUHAN OPEN STREAMED LIVE HERE
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