Shanghai Masters 2026 recap - Defending champion Kyren Wilson to renew rivalry with Judd Trump in final after beating Zhao Xintong in thriller

React to this story

Defending champion Kyren Wilson beat Zhao Xintong 10-8 in a thrilling, century-filled match on Saturday to reach the final of the 2026 Shanghai Masters. Wilson came out on top after a dramatic second session to set up a final against Judd Trump.

‘What a pick out!’ - Trump sinks 'brilliant' long red from awkward angle against Wu

Video credit: TNT Sports

It was a fierce clash from the start as the two battled for the lead in stretches of dominance.

The early session ended with Wilson holding a one-frame lead after a bold attempt at a 147 that fell short at 113.

The session continued with Wilson extending his lead to two, though four successive frames - with two tons to boot - saw Zhao move 8-6 ahead to the delight of the Shanghai Masters crowd.

Shanghai Masters

Trump and Wilson show future can be bright for British snooker despite Hendry prediction

Yesterday at 08:50

But the world No. 7 wouldn’t be deterred, rallying to take the next four to sail into the final.

There, he will face compatriot Trump in a best-of-21 showdown in the hope of keeping his crown and clinching the £210,000 top prize.

The action starts at 07:00 UK time on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

End of match: Wilson 10-8 Zhao

Wilson certainly has this in hand now. Zhao looks rather resigned in his chair as the world no. 7 raises his fist after potting the red he needed. Zhao had a chance but couldn't quite make it count, and Wilson made him pay after finding his groove again.

He moves on to face fellow Englishman Judd Trump in tomorrow's final!

Wilson 9-8 Zhao (59-8)

Big groans from the crowd as Zhao overcuts a red. Wilson pots, but he doesn't look happy as the cue ball rolls towards the side cushion. He picks up just one.

Zhao tries to go thin on a red and fouls. His second attempt doesn't quite tuck behind the yellow, and Wilson pots a red into the left corner pocket!

Wilson 9-8 Zhao (51-8)

Wilson is up 44 in a blink, and then he's forced to play a cannon. He pots the black, but oh dear, he ends up on nothing! He gives the shot a go, a cut red down to the right corner pocket, but it stays out.

Zhao returns to the table with cheers of encouragement from his home crowd. What can he do?

Wilson 9-8 Zhao (7-0)

Zhao makes a massive error on his attempt at a long red, it's nowhere near and leaves Wilson an easy chance. This could be his last time on the table given how Wilson has been playing in the last couple of frames.

One away for the defending champion.

Wilson 9-8 Zhao

We could see another century here, Wilson has completely shut Zhao out of this frame. Wilson sinks the penultimate red to make his third ton of the day. He just misses the pink and he will finish on 129!

Wilson 8-8 Zhao (52-0)

Wilson looks good for the lead here, he's sent the pack wide open and he has plenty to choose from.

Wilson 8-8 Zhao (14-0)

Wilson slams a long red into the right corner pocket. He's thoroughly shaken off that bad miss on the pink and it seems like momentum is back on his side.

Wilson 8-8 Zhao

Wilson lines up a red to the right middle but it's just off! A tiny glimmer of a chance is still there for Zhao, who steps up to pot a rest shot. He has no room for error in this frame if he wants to win it, three reds left.

He takes only 14 before he misses, but Wilson has a long red available to the right corner pocket which he waill happily take to seal the deal. Wilson ties it all up!

Wilson 7-8 Zhao (54-0)

Wilson has done well to build this break, he hasn't used the black after it was respotted on the brown spot and he's worked the pack open nicely. It's an admirable effort that Zhao can only watch from his chair.

A couple of reds and colours needed to secure this frame.

Wilson 7-8 Zhao (12-0)

Wilson plays a brilliant snooker behind the brown. Foul and a miss by Zhao, and Wilson will take the shot from where it ended up under the D. The red stays in the jaws for a tense second before dropping in and the defending champion is off.

Watch: 'No way to sugarcoat this, it's a shocker'

This uncharacteristic miss from Wilson saw Zhao run away with his fourth straight frame and extend his lead.

'Glaring' Wilson miss gifts Zhao century 'out of nowhere'

Video credit: TNT Sports

Wilson 7-8 Zhao

Wilson notches a century of his own to bring Zhao's lead back to one! The drama continues as the tide keeps changing.

Wilson 6-8 Zhao (61-4)

The table looks promising, with the exception of two reds on either side cushion. It seems as though Wilson is back in focus, and he looks sure to stop Zhao from a fifth straight frame now.

Wilson 6-8 Zhao (21-4)

Zhao looks unhappy with the table, and his shot leaves Wilson a red next to the left corner pocket. He doesn't find anything pottable though and he will put the cue ball up near the cushion.

Zhao then misses a long red down to the left corner to groans, and that leaves Wilson another chance on the table. It's been a very slow start to this frame, can Wilson build a good break?

Wilson 6-8 Zhao (4-4)

Zhao fouls early, in off on a long red. No chances open on the table though, and Wilson plays a safety. But Zhao goes for another long red, and this time the cue ball stays on the table.

He gets unlucky off the green, and his visit ends there.

Wilson 6-8 Zhao

Zhao surely has this frame under his belt now as he polishes off the colours. This is a massive disappointment for the defending champion as Zhao puts the cherry on top with yet another century.

Wilson 6-7 Zhao (20-28)

Wilson goes for a pink to left middle and it comes off the top jaw! Zhao doesn't skip a beat, and pots a red and a black to kick off his break. What a shame if he loses this frame on that error.

Wilson 6-7 Zhao (0-19)

Wilson picks out a lovely shot, open red under the blue, into the left corner pocket to begin his visit.

Wilson 6-7 Zhao (0-0)

Wilson gets us started after the interval for the last stretch of this semi-final. Who will take on Judd trump tomorrow?

Watch: So close to a maximum!

Wilson was 34 points from a 147 when he failed to pot this black in the seventh frame.

'What a pity' - Black miss scuppers Wilson's 147 attempt

Video credit: TNT Sports

Have your say

Wilson 6-7 Zhao

The Shanghai crowd is delighted as Zhao nicks this dramatic 13th frame! We break for the interval now and they return in 15 minutes.

Wilson 6-6 Zhao (61-38)

Wilson's poor response sees the red go into open space, and Zhao makes the pot look easy. He needs the clearance to steal this frame, can he?

Wilson 6-6 Zhao (61-28)

The last two reds sit on the bottom cushion, and Wilson plays a safety that brings one up to the right of the pink. Zhao steps up for his own safety, but he flukes a red to cheers from the crowd. He pots the green, then plays a safety.

Wilson 6-6 Zhao (28-24)

Wilson makes a mistake now, he didn't anticipate the cannon and his break ends there. He plays a safety, but it isn't a good one either and Zhao will have an open red.

But Zhao only takes one after a missed green, and Wilson is back on the table with a pottable red.

Wilson 6-6 Zhao (20-23)

What a shame, he tries to go for a cannon off the black and misses his shot. It was a nice cannon that Wilson will now pick up easily.

Wilson 6-6 Zhao (4-17)

Wilson tries to go thin on a red down the right side of the table and he will gift Zhao four points back as he misses. Zhao has a long red wide open, and he pots it to applause.

Wilson 6-6 Zhao (4-0)

Zhao tries to catch a red down the table on the opposing cushion, but is off by an inch to foul. He takes it again and this time it's alright.

Wilson tries to pick out a shot but it does wide of the right corner pocket.

Wilson 6-6 Zhao (0-0)

Zhao breaks to start. Wilson is off on his long red and Zhao will respond with a safety.

Wilson 6-6 Zhao

Zhao's visit ends at 70 after a failed long pot to the yellow corner. It's pottable, but Wilson misses it! It slams off the bottom jaw, and a trip round the table and handy kiss from the yellow sees it rest in the mouth of the pocket for Zhao.

He pots that easily and picks up the yellow too before finishing his visit on the blue. Zhao is back level!

Wilson 6-5 Zhao (39-54)

Zhao is faced with a risky shot, if the pack of four doesn't split the way he wants he could lose the cue ball. The Chinese player is in the lead now, but we all know how dangerous Wilson can be if brought back to the table.

Wilson 6-5 Zhao (39-0)

Wilson in a touch of trouble, he's forced to take a red to the yellow corner - and it bounces out of the jaws.

Zhao steps up to pot, can he steal this frame? He'll need all the reds.

Wilson 6-5 Zhao (32-0)

Wilson cues over the pack to drop a red into the right middle pocket. He goes for a cannon off the black and a red pops cleanly out of the group.

Wilson 6-5 Zhao

A 250th career century for Zhao! The clearance earns him a result of 135 and while he'll surely be pleased with that, the bigger relief comes from stopping a fifth consecutive frame for Wilson.

Wilson 6-4 Zhao (0-95)

Zhao is showing off just how good of a break builder he is. He's made quick work of this table from Wilson's safety, and the crowd is enjoying his slow creep towards another possible century.

Wilson 6-4 Zhao (0-27)

Zhao makes his first pot in this session, a lovely long red to start his break. He needs this frame if he wants to halt the slide, he hasn't won one since the sixth frame.

Wilson 6-4 Zhao

It's smooth sailing for Wilson from here, he's looking just as good as he did right before the break. He's forced to try a trick shot on the green for the century - and it won't be. He finishes on 98 and pulls his lead to two.

Wilson 5-4 Zhao (31-0)

Wilson gets out of position after 16 and snookers Zhao behind the green.

Zhao takes his shot towards a red to the left of the black, but although he avoids the foul it travels further than he'd like and Wilson has an easy shot to the left corner pocket.

Wilson 5-4 Zhao (14-0)

Wilson and Zhao trade a few good safeties, and it is Wilson who breaks the deadlock.

The pink is tied up and Wilson controls the cue ball well to find the angle on the black at the bottom of the table.

Wilson 5-4 Zhao (0-0)

The players are out and Zhao gets us underway in this second session!

How to watch and stream the Shanghai Masters

You can watch every day of the 2026 Shanghai Masters live on TNT Sports.

It is available both live and on-demand on HBO Max.

Here is the TNT Sports schedule and TV guide

What's in store?

Welcome back! We have a possible ten more frames ahead at the Luwan Indoor Stadium, Wilson make quik work of last year's semi-final clash and won that 10-5 en route to the crown that he is defending today. Zhao came out of the gate stronger, but Wilson looked better towards the end of that session.

End of session: Wilson 5-4 Zhao

Wilson is in the driver’s seat going into the second session this evening.

Zhao Xintong was the early standout, ruthlessly punishing uncharacteristic errors from Wilson and notching the first century of the day, a wonderful 139.

But Wilson wouldn’t stay behind for long. He took a ton of 113 of his own in the seventh frame during his attempt at a 147, finding his groove in the second half to take three frames on the bounce and secure a one frame lead.

Play resumes at 12:30PM BST on TNT Sports and HBO Max, see you then!

Watch: Zhao's 139 century

It was a beautiful effort from Zhao in the fifth frame to punish Wilson's error and notch a clearance of 139.

Zhao makes 'magnificent' 139 clearance look 'ridiculously easy' in Shanghai semi

Video credit: TNT Sports

Wilson 5-4 Zhao

Zhao tries to set up a snooker behind the brown, but his cue ball goes a touch too far and Wilson pots the free red to seal the deal. Wilson claims the lead going into the evening session!

Wilson 4-4 Zhao (75-35)

Zhao needs a massive three snookers to get this frame his way. He sets up his first on the final red, tucking the cue ball behind the pink. Wilson dispatches that easily. Zhao then gives him another, this time behind the black with the red all the way up at the opposite rail.

One foul down, two to go.

Wilson 4-4 Zhao (75-25)

Wilson is in fine form now, attacking quickly and efficiently. But a miss sees him take only 75, and Zhao steps up to the table to see what he can salvage. He hasn't scored since he won the sixth frame, what can he do?

Wilson 4-4 Zhao (17-0)

Our last frame before the end of the first session and Wilson gets the scoring started. It seems like he's found his groove now, will this be a repeat of last year's 10-5 semi-final between these two?

Wilson 4-4 Zhao

WIlson picks up the pace now as he cleans up the reds. He ends on a very awkward spot right next to the blue for his shot on the yellow, and his attempt with the spider doesn't go his way. Nevertheless he draws level with Zhao once again!

Wilson 3-4 Zhao (30-0)

Wilson splits the pack wide open, and is forced to take a shot on the blue up to the yellow corner. It's a great pot and he would have left the door wide open for Zhao if he had missed. The defending champ rolls on.

Wilson 3-4 Zhao (13-0)

Wilson slukes a red, and he tucks the cue ball behind the brown to snooker Zhao. Zhao doesn't quite get the line he wanted and Wilson cuts a red down to the left corner.

Wilson 3-4 Zhao (8-0)

Wilson pots first after Zhao's safety. He sinks the black but loses the cue ball, so safety it is.

Wilson 3-4 Zhao

Alas! The 147 isn't meant to be today as Wilson's shot on the black stays out. It's still a wonderful 113 century and he narrows the gap back down to one.

Wilson 2-4 Zhao (96 - 0)

Wilson looks far steadier in this frame, and he could be on for a maximum.

He throws his head back in amusement as he's faced with a difficult red now if he wants to stay on the black, and he boldly lines up the attempt to applause.

It's a lovely pot and even Zhao breaks a smile at that. Wilson is still on for the 147!

Wilson 2-4 Zhao (33 - 0)

Wilson pots first with a long red to the left corner pocket, and he plays a nice cannon to split the pack well. The arena holds its breath as a black teeters on the edge before dropping to Wilson's relief.

An important frame for Wilson.

Wilson 2-4 Zhao

Wilson doesn't look happy in his seat as Zhao secures another frame. Some of his early mistakes have crept back in after the intercal and he needs to shake this off as the World No. 3 now leads 4-2!

Wilson 2-3 Zhao (16 - 44)

Zhao pulls ahead, but loses control of the cue ball soon after. He tries a difficult cannon from the blue, but it doesn't go right.

Wilson splits the pack and Zhao picks out a great long red to get back into scoring position.

Wilson 2-3 Zhao (16 - 1)

Zhao leaves Wilson with a red and he is quick to take that chance. But an uncharacteristic miss on a rest shot sees Zhao back to the table!

Wilson 2-3 Zhao (4 - 0)

Wilson pots early, but he's unlucky and his attempt to split the pack leaves him with nothing. He plays a safety up to baulk.

Wilson 2-3 Zhao

Zhao takes a wonderful 139 clearance after Wilson's early miss and he is back ahead.

Wilson 2-2 Zhao (0-107)

Zhao is flying, and he could go for his ninth ton of his season right now - and he makes it! The 2025 world champion secures his 249th career century in Shanghai and the lead of this match.

Wilson 2-2 Zhao (0-54)

Zhao's cannon goes awry again and he is forced into a recovery shot, a red up to the green corner. He makes the pot this time and he will keep extending his lead.

Wilson 2-2 Zhao (0-25)

Wilson misses his first chance, and Zhao finds a clear shot on a red to the right corner. The reds are still fairly gathered in the pack, with the exception of one up near the yellow.

Wilson 2-2 Zhao (0-0)

We're back! Zhao to break.

Wilson 2-2 Zhao

Zhao only gets the yellow but it won't matter as he goes level with Wilson again. Neither have fully hit their stride yet, but perhaps this interval will help.

Wilson 2-1 Zhao (37-69)

Foul again for Wilson! He tries for the same shot, long to a red on the right cushion and it's nowhere near again.

Curiously Zhao decides to take the shot in an attempt to put the cue ball behind the yellow, but he can't make it work. Wilson has a clear shot to the right corner but it's a miss!

Zhao will surely finish off the three reds at the bottom of the table now, and goes to the colours.

Wilson 2-1 Zhao (37-48)

Oh dear! Zhao will breathe a sign of relief as Wilson's charge stops after missed red into the left middle. His attempt bumps off the top jaw before skimming past the mouth.

Zhao pots it, but his cannon doesn't go his way and he will play a safety up to baulk. Wilson's shot goes awry and he fouls.

Wilson 2-1 Zhao (15-43)

It's slow but steady again from Zhao, he puts in a really good effort to build his break of 43 before he makes a rather surprising miss on a red to the left middle. Wilson will pick up the pieces on a table that Zhao has worked hard on.

Wilson 2-1 Zhao (0-1)

Wilson opens the pack with his safety, and Zhao will pot first.

Wilson 2-1 Zhao

Wilson picks up the pink to force a snooker, and his missed red straight after means that Zhao will have a go. But Zhao can only pick up a single red and he concedes the frame there. One more until the first interval!

Wilson 1-1 Zhao (59-4)

Wilson plays a brilliant recovery shot as he rockets the blue into the left corner pocket and sets himself up with a nice red along the bottom of the table. He needs a fair few points still but this is great progress.

Wilson 1-1 Zhao (19-4)

Wilson picks out a long red and pots it into the right corner. He picks up the blue that Zhao left next to the pocket earlier and he now has a decent chance to take this third frame.

The reds are scattered across the bottom right of the table, with the pink and black slightly tied up.

Wilson 1-1 Zhao (6-4)

Wilson fouls as his cue ball just runs out of pace. It's very nearly a foul for Zhao again as he just avoids rolling the blue into the right middle.

Wilson 1-1 Zhao (6-0)

Zhao fouls as he skims the pink in an attempt to catch a red on the edge of the pack. He will retake after a tricky reset of the table, and this time it goes how he wants.

Wilson 1-1 Zhao (0-0)

We are due seven more exciting frames in this early session, who will be the next to take the lead?

Wilson 1-1 Zhao

Wilson seems to have shaken off those early errors as he levels the match with his third scoring visit. This is a much more promising frame from the defending champ after a tricky opener.

Wilson 0-1 Zhao (23-1)

Wilson takes 15, and then plays a safety behind the brown on the left cushion. Wilson then pots a nice long red that surely will help his confidence.

Wilson 0-1 Zhao (1-1)

Wilson goes heavy into the pack, and he gets a stroke of luck as a red rolls into the left corner pocket. He then goes for the brown to the yellow corner - misses!

Zhao thoroughly punished his last two potting errors, but it's not an easy table after Wilson's split and he misses his attempt on the pink. Wilson back with a red.

Wilson 0-1 Zhao

Just the colours left, and Zhao will seal the deal with a clearance. Lovely stuff to take the first lead!

Wilson 0-0 Zhao (0-86)

Zhao is taking his time around the table and that calm is paying off as he locks down the first frame in a flash with just two visits.

Wilson 0-0 Zhao (0-54)

Zhao's attempt to split the pack doesn't go as well as he'd hoped, it leaves him with a tricky long red up to the yellow corner and he notches only a half ton.

Wilson misses on the same red that Zhao left near the corner and Zhao is back scoring on the table again.

Wilson 0-0 Zhao (0-38)

An error from Wilson sees Zhao take the first points of the day, and with a good table ahead this could be a handy lead for Zhao.

Wilson 0-0 Zhao (0-0)

Zhao gets us underway!

Here we go!

Our last semi-final matchup is about to begin! The players head out to the table as they prepare to fight for a place in the final in 19 frames.

What's ahead?

Kyren Wilson continues his title defense against World No. 3 Zhao Xintong, and the two will be fighting for the chance to face Judd Trump in tomorrow's final. Trump beat Crucible king Wu Yize in an exciting 10-6 semi-final that was chock full of centuries, and today's matchup promises much excitement as a repeat from last year, when Wilson beat Zhao 10-5 on his way to the crown.

The first session will commence at 7AM BST, with the second set of frames being scheduled for 12:30PM soon after.