Snooker legend Stephen Hendry has made his emotions clear to Zhao Xintong forward of the World Championship.
Stephen Hendry handed on some recommendation to Zhao Xintong (Picture: Stephen Hendry’s Cue Ideas/YouTube)
Zhao Xintong has been given a no-nonsense message by Stephen Hendry forward of the defence of his world snooker title. The Chinese language famous person made historical past final 12 months by turning into the primary participant from his nation to change into a world champion, beating Mark Williams 18-12 within the closing.
Zhao will try and make extra historical past on the 2026 match, which begins on Saturday, by smashing the so-called ‘Crucible curse’ that has seen no first-time winner retain the title because the World Championship moved to the Sheffield venue in 1977. Kyren Wilson was the newest participant to fall sufferer to it when he crashed out within the first spherical of the 2025 match to Lei Peifan. Hendry gained the primary of his seven world titles in 1990 however could not retain it the next 12 months after dropping to Steve James within the quarter-finals.
4-time winner John Higgins faces two-time runner-up Ali Carter in a high-quality opener with a possible second-round assembly with O’Sullivan at stake. Mark Selby begins towards the shock 2024 finalist Jak Jones, whereas Judd Trump has a troublesome opener towards 2019 semi-finalist Gary Wilson, who survived a qualifying epic towards Xu Si.
Antoni Kowalski, the primary Polish participant to qualify for the Crucible and who saved his tour card within the course of, begins towards three-time champion Williams.
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