World Snooker Championship 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Ronnie O’Sullivan CRASHES OUT to Zhao in semis, Trump vs Williams TODAY

“I just want to play like an exhibition here. I cannot believe I am still here.

“I felt relaxed. I wanted to enjoy the experience. Sometimes the crowd here are for Ronnie and it was nervous for me.

“He deserved that, he is a legend here. I think my family were watching tonight in China.

“I will have a big lunch. Don’t think about snooker.”

He said:  “I can’t believe this. I want to say thank you to Ronnie because he helped me a lot before.

“I don’t want to win in the Crucible like this. Hopefully he can do the eighth Triple Crown here.

“He’s my idol. I want to say thank you.”

It was a match where Ronnie struggled to pot routine balls and never looked comfortable at the table – he made just four breaks over 50 and no centuries, while he potted just 65% of his shots.

O’Sullivan said: “Zhao played good. He deserved his victory, he did brilliantly all tournament.

“I don’t want excuses, I was here to play, that is it, he played better than me, I’ve been awful for quite a while.

“I’d like to play alright, but I felt I never gave him a game, and that’s disappointing.”

He said: “A couple of people I’ve spoke to, especially Anthony Hamilton at length, they say it’s no good under the lights and it’s ruined his career.

“It has sort of put me under pressure. So, after this is finished, it’s something I’m going to have to look more into, to decide what I’m going to do with it.

“I’m in the semi-final of the biggest tournament. I’ve won the Champion of Champions. Top six in the world.

“What do you do? Do I keep playing blurry? I don’t know. It’s one of them.”

There was nothing wrong with his vision as he came from 7-3 down to end session two at 8-8 apiece.

The Welshman, 50, is aiming to become the oldest Crucible finalist ever and is locked at 8-8 with world No.1 Judd Trump in the semi-finals.

Credit: AlamyGiven how well he has performed this spring, he is reconsidering whether to go ahead with lens replacement surgery.

Williams recently said that “every single shot seems blurry” because his “eyes have gone”.

But the three-time world champion said: “I’ve got a big decision to make. I’m obviously booked in June to have my eyes’ lens replacement.

“I’ve been reading up and talking to people who have had it done. I’ve got to be honest, it’s putting me off a bit.”

The world No. 1 revealed that, despite all the extra work he’s put into his snooker in recent months, he’s found time to become a born-again golf nut.

Trump said: “I practised very hard this year. I felt confident coming into it. I’ve put in the work.

“I think I played well for the first three games, so I couldn’t really have given myself a better chance.

“In my spare time, I’ve been watching a lot of golf on YouTube. Golf series and different people.

“Because I got back into golf recently, so all my time is spent watching golf.”  

The 2019 world champion, said: “I sleep good here. It’s very, very tiring. I normally sleep about nine hours straight through.

“Because it’s so hectic around Sheffield, I don’t really come out of my room much. I try to stay away from everyone.

“Conserve my energy that way. It’s important that I do a little bit of gym work here and there, just to keep sane.

“But other than that, I’m a very, very boring person when it comes to the World Championship.

“I tried to keep away from everyone and just save all my energy for the tournament.”

Credit: PA

The Rocket was grounded 17-7 by Zhao Xintong in yesterday’s Crucible semi-final.

And although he was flat about his performance – after what he calls four years of playing “badly” – the seven-time world champ did eventually find one upside.

He said: “I just felt really disappointed that I couldn’t do anything. It’s not a nice feeling.

“Maybe I took a few things for granted in the past, maybe it was a bit easy.

“I didn’t realise how easy it was, took it for granted.

“I’m probably a bit more proud of what I’ve done – because I’m going through a struggle.”

Mark Williams battled back from 7-3 down to enter this morning’s action locked at 8-8 with World No. 1 Judd Trump.

There are sure to be massive knock-on advantages to lifting the Crucible crown.

But here’s a breakdown of the direct prize money.

• Total prize pot: £2,395,000.
• The winner: £500,000
• Runner-up: £200,000
• Semi-finalists: £100,000
• Quarter-finalists: £50,000
• Last 16: £30,000
• Last 32: £20,000
• Last 48: £15,000
• Last 80: £10,000
• Last 112: £5,000
• Highest break (qualifying stage included): £15,000

The main reason of course is that Zhao Xintong wants to remain in peak condition for the final.

But modesty appears to come into it too.

He said: “It’s an amazing time for me.

“I will have a big lunch. Don’t think about snooker.”

How should they fill this afternoon’s now-vacant slot?

Answer: When the Rocket is blasted out, a Big Break-style exhibition comes in.

But tournament chiefs are NOT offering refunds for the absence of a competitive session.

The Rocket’s bid for a record eighth Crucible crown ended with a 17-7 defeat against Zhao Xintong.

Frustrated semi-final loser Ronnie O’Sullivan said no to a short-term offer – and is also uncertain over his longer-term prospectsO’Sullivan revealed afterwards he was “confused” by his game as he “struggles” to accept what he calls “four bad years” with the cue.

Making changes to his equipment DURING the match surely didn’t help.

But although he is pondering his long-term situation with uncertainty, he had no such qualms when questioned about a role in the short-term.

O’Sullivan has been doing punditry work for TNT Sports at the Crucible inbetween his own matches.

And a TNT interviewer asked the 49-year-old if he’d be behind the mike again in the studio for the last three days of the World Championship.

The Rocket replied: “I won’t be there for the rest of this tournament. I’ll be going home now.”

O’Sullivan was more worried by the state of his game – even doubting that he could fix his problems.

The Rocket, 49, was hammered 17-7 in the semi-finals by magnificent Zhao Xintong, who won with a session to spare, and is in line to become China’s first world snooker champion.

It is 31 years since O’Sullivan exited the World Snooker Championship in such embarrassing fashion with a spare session left.

Qualifier Xintong, 28, won EIGHT frames in a row over 82 minutes in the second session on Friday – the fourth time O’Sullivan had endured a session whitewash.

O’Sullivan – who changed his cue tip THREE times and ferrule once in the contest – said: “I’m at a loss to be honest with you.

“I have lost what I used to have. I’m so confused. It feels really a struggle.

“I don’t know if it was me, the cue tip or the ferrule. I didn’t know where the white ball was going.

“I tried something different with my cue. I tried to go back to the old brass ferrule.

“I wasn’t surprised (by the session loss). I’ve been playing like that in practice. It’s hard to get my head around it. I can’t even fix it, that’s the problem. I don’t know if I can fix it.

“I want to give it two years but if you play like that, it’s pretty pointless. It’s not good.”

Crucible fans applauded both players for different reason after Zhao’s 17-7 semi-final win.

And the Rocket said he “tried to get off as quick as I could because it was his moment to enjoy”.

He added: “If Zhao wins the world title, it would be amazing.

“He would be a mega star. Amazing for snooker and his life as well.”

The amateur player returned from a 20-month corruption ban last September.

Zhao Xintong shared joy with humble words for his ‘idol’Credit: AlamyAnd he has the advantage of a day off before facing either Judd Trump or Mark Williams over 35 frames on Sunday and Monday.

Zhao said: “I can’t believe this. I want to play like an exhibition. I want to enjoy this.

“Sometimes the crowd are cheering for Ronnie and it was nervous for me. But he deserved that. He’s a legend.

“I have to say thank you to Ronnie, he helped me a lot before. I don’t want to win at the Crucible like this. Hopefully he can go to No.8 here. He’s my idol.

“It’s an amazing time for me. I will have a big lunch. Don’t think about snooker.”

His 17-7 loss to Zhao Xintong included an eight-frame second-session whitewash.

O’sullivan said: “I want to give it two years but if you play like that, it’s pretty pointless. It’s not good.

“I have been like that for four years, trying to grind it out. I didn’t have a clue where the cue ball was going. I have been willing it into the hole.

“I don’t know how to correct the fault. That’s the worrying thing. I’m so far away – I don’t even know where to begin.

“I’ve been awful for quite a while. I never gave him a game and that’s disappointing.

“Zhao played good and deserved his victory. He played better than me.”

He said: “I’m at a loss to be honest with you.

“I have lost what I used to have. I’m so confused. It feels really a struggle.

“I don’t know if it was me, the cue tip or the ferrule. I didn’t know where the white ball was going.

“I tried something different with my cue. I tried to go back to the old brass ferrule.

“I wasn’t surprised (by the session loss). I’ve been playing like that in practice. It’s hard to get my head around it.

“I can’t even fix it, that’s the problem. I don’t know if I can fix it.

Zhao headed to his semi-final victim’s dressing room for a hug – and to give him another resounding ‘thank you’.

The 28-year-old had already told TNT Sports: “I need to say a big thanks to Ronnie. He helped me so much.

“Sometimes he gave me support, sometimes we had lunch together!”

And it was then revealed his first port of call was the Rocket’s room – to convey his gratitude personally.

The Chinese ace, 28, beat his 49-year-old idol 17-7, with nine frames in a row at one stage, then the final three.

The pair embraced warmly afterwards.

And almost Zhao’s first thoughts were to thank the Rocket for his career guidance over the years.

He said: “I’m so happy. It’s my first time in the final.

“I need to say a big thanks to Ronnie. He helped me so much.”

The Rocket said: “He’s amazing, a great boy.

“It’s great for the game. Fantastic for him to reach the final.”

After his 17-7 loss to Zhao Xintong, the Rocket told TNT Sports: “I felt I missed a lot of shots, made it quite easy for him.

Ronnie O’Sullivan congratulated Zhao Xintong on victoryCredit: Alamy“I’ve been bad for about four years. I didn’t even know how to correct some faults – that’s the worrying thing.

“I think I’ve lost some of the things I used to have. I don’t even know what I used to have – I’m so confused!”

O’Sullivan, who sat out the past few months, added: “I expected to go out in the first round to be honest.

“It’s not even like I’ve been playing well on the practice table.

“So not a lot of positives. So I don’t know where to go from there.”

The Chinese ace was sensational in going from 4-4 to 12-4 up this afternoon.

And although the Rocket won the first two frames this evening, Zhao then pocketed a 128 break – before winning the final three frames with table visits of 85, 63 and 88.

O’Sullivan was generous with his congratulations for Zhao

He’s beaten the seven-time world champ – and in style.

He’s passed 50 – with a black to get onto the final red.