Ding Junhui vs Zhao Xintong: Back the Champion in a Historic All-Chinese Crucible Showdown

The Pick

Back Zhao Xintong to win the match at available odds. Despite Ding Junhui's impressive return to form, the reigning world champion enters this second-round clash as the justified favourite — and the value holds up even at shortened prices given his recent dominance on the tour.

The Setup

Sheffield is about to host one of the most compelling second-round matches in recent World Championship memory. Ding Junhui powered past David Gilbert 10-5 on Monday to book his place in a mouthwatering all-Chinese clash with top seed Zhao Xintong — a match that will be played across three sessions on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Crucible Theatre.

The contest carries enormous weight far beyond the baize itself. For the best part of two decades, Ding was the face of Chinese snooker — the man the country pinned its world title hopes on. Now 39 years old and making his 20th appearance at the Crucible, Ding carries the legacy of a player who has won 15 ranking titles, claimed the Masters in 2011, and reached the World Championship final in 2016 — yet somehow never got his hands on the sport's greatest prize. It is a remarkable career defined, perhaps unfairly, by what it hasn't achieved at the final hurdle.

Zhao Xintong, meanwhile, has already done what Ding could not. The world number four came back from a period of suspension to win the 2025 World Championship in stunning fashion — qualifying from the very first round and lifting the trophy in front of a watching nation. Millions tuned in across China then, and the audience for this match is expected to dwarf even that. The two men represent the past and present of Chinese snooker colliding on the sport's grandest stage.

The Analysis

Ding's victory over Gilbert was genuinely encouraging — arguably his best performance of the entire 2025/26 season. That is a significant caveat worth acknowledging. Ding had not won a single match on tour in 2026 before arriving in Sheffield, a run of form that would have written off most players. Reports that he has been putting in serious hours on the practice table appear well-founded — he was sharp, he scored heavily, and his two century breaks were constructed with the kind of clinical authority that once made him the most feared potter in the game.

Gilbert was not at his best, it has to be said, suffering from a frustrating run of the balls on multiple occasions. Ding took full advantage when given his chances, but the standard of opposition steps up considerably here. Zhao Xintong is an entirely different proposition.

The champion was not at his fluent best in his opening match against Liam Highfield either, edging through 10-7 rather than blowing his opponent away. But crucially, he still produced a three-century display when not playing his best snooker — and that is the hallmark of a true champion. Zhao arrives at this tournament off the back of a hat-trick of victories on the Players Series, a run of form that underlines why many analysts regard him as the overall favourite to retain his title.

"Whoever I play next will be a very tough game for me," Zhao said after seeing off Highfield. "If I play Ding, then there will be a lot of attention on our match." That is something of an understatement — viewing figures in the tens of millions are expected across China alone when the two finally step up to the table.

At a tactical level, the key question is whether Ding's form against Gilbert was a genuine signal of revival or a solid performance against a player who handed him several gifts. In best-of-25 format over three sessions, any technical or mental inconsistency from Ding will be ruthlessly exposed. Zhao's safety game and ability to construct big breaks under pressure give him a significant edge in extended matches.

The Odds

Odds correct at time of writing and subject to change. Please shop around for the best available price.

If you want a touch more value, Zhao Xintong to win and make the highest break as a combined selection is worth exploring on the Request-a-Bet markets at Betfair or Sky Bet. His century output this season has been consistently high, and a rusty Ding is unlikely to out-pot him over the course of three sessions.

The Verdict

This is one of those matches where the narrative almost outweighs the snooker — but the snooker itself should be well worth watching. Ding Junhui is a legend of the sport, and there is something genuinely moving about watching him chase the one title that has always escaped him. But sentiment doesn't win frames. Zhao Xintong is the reigning champion, he is in better form, and he has already demonstrated this fortnight that he can win when not at his sharpest. Back Zhao to progress, and enjoy what promises to be a truly special occasion at the Crucible.

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