China's Zhao Xintong during his quarter final match against England's Shaun Murphy on day twelve of the World Snooker Championship 2026 in Sheffield, England, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)China's Zhao Xintong plays a shot during his quarter final match against England's Shaun Murphy on day twelve of the World Snooker Championship 2026 in Sheffield, England, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)England's Shaun Murphy celebrates after winning his quarter final match against China's Zhao Xintong on day twelve of the World Snooker Championship 2026 in Sheffield, England, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)Yize Wu during his match against Hossein Vafaei on day eleven of the World Snooker Championship 2026 in Sheffield, England, Tuesday April 28, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)Iran's Hossein Vafaei, right, during his match against China's Yize Wu on day twelve of the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England, Wednesday April 29, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)1 / 5Britain World Championship SnookerChina's Zhao Xintong during his quarter final match against England's Shaun Murphy on day twelve of the World Snooker Championship 2026 in Sheffield, England, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)1 / 5Britain World Championship SnookerChina's Zhao Xintong during his quarter final match against England's Shaun Murphy on day twelve of the World Snooker Championship 2026 in Sheffield, England, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)2 / 5Britain World Championship SnookerChina's Zhao Xintong plays a shot during his quarter final match against England's Shaun Murphy on day twelve of the World Snooker Championship 2026 in Sheffield, England, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)3 / 5Britain World Championship SnookerEngland's Shaun Murphy celebrates after winning his quarter final match against China's Zhao Xintong on day twelve of the World Snooker Championship 2026 in Sheffield, England, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)4 / 5Britain World Championship SnookerYize Wu during his match against Hossein Vafaei on day eleven of the World Snooker Championship 2026 in Sheffield, England, Tuesday April 28, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)5 / 5Britain World Championship SnookerIran's Hossein Vafaei, right, during his match against China's Yize Wu on day twelve of the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England, Wednesday April 29, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)Associated PressWed, April 29, 2026 at 8:57 PM UTC·1 min readSHEFFIELD, 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.