World Open 2026 snooker LIVE - Gary Wilson beats world champion Zhao Xintong after Ronnie O'Sullivan reaches quarter-finals

A fantastic performance from Gary Wilson saw him beat Zhao Xintong 5-2 and advance to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Open. The world champions began well with a break of 94, but Wilson responded with a 101, then hit the front with an 82. And though Zhao levelled the match at the interval, Wilson continued punishing errors, two further centuries putting him two up with three to play, and though it took him a few goes to polish off what proved to be the final frame, he eventually secured a crucial win - if he wins the tournament, he'll be seeded at the Crucible but if he doesn't, he'll have to qualify – and a last-eight meeting with Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.

A brilliant win for Gary, who played beautifully, and will now face Thepchaiya Un-Nooh for a spot in the last eight. If he wins the tournament, he'll be seeded at the Cruce; if he doesn't, he'll have to qualify.

Gary sinks it nicely then misses the blue amid awaits the handshake ... but one isn't forthcoming, Zhao returning to the table hunting three snookers with just three balls on the table. Good luck with that, old mate.

Gary drains it confidently, plays a fine shot from green to yellow, and it's green again for the match....

...and it's there, great shot. The same ball to the same bag then liberates another red, and if he can get on to the two that are near black cush, the match is his. He bins the first but, straight on the pink must now force the issue to arrive on to the second ... and jawses the pot. Zhao quickly tidies, promotes the final red, and can he save himself? Er, no. Instead, he snookers himself on that final red, leaves it when he escapes – though, thinking he's got away with it, he raises a hand – and if Gary can cut to the green bag, he's nearly home.

A cut-back black to cannon into the pack ... is missed. Chance for Gary, and can he craft a match-winning opportunity from it? A pink to middle will open things...

A safety error from Zhao allows Gary away, but this time he can't get position off his starter; no matter. Because though the world champ is next at the table, he soon misses ... leaving nothing. Is this getting scrappy? Well, no sooner have I finished typing those words than Zhao cuts one into left corner, the black follows, and what can he make of this? The table is not ideally set...

Judd Trump 2-2 Robbie Williams

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 4-1 Marco Fu

Zhang Anda 2-2 Hossein Vafaei

And there it is, a round 100 – he misses the final red - leaving Gary two up with three to play.

Gary secures the frame, and this looks like his third century of the match.

The way the balls are along with the way Gary's playing, you don't expect him to miss until the frame is his, and by the looks of things, Zhao willhave to win three on the spin if he's to progress. Every mistake he's made has cost him.

Gosh, Zhao goes hard at a brutal opener knowing if he misses he's careering into the pack and leaving the world ... which he does and he does. So when Gary comes to the table, there's claret all over, and this really should be 4-2.

Judd Trump 2-1 Robbie Williams

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 4-0 Marco Fu

Zhang Anda 2-1 Hossein Vafaei

A clearance of 102 and Gary's two frames away from the last eight.

There's another ton to be had here.

I've been really impressed with how Gary's punished Zhao's errors so far today. Each of his frame-winning contributions have followed a mistake, which is exactly how ruthless you need to be against this little genius.

Gary enjoys the fruits of Zhao's labour.

Zhao gets in and, when he opens the pack off a fine black, looks in good shape to make a decent score. But his next red isn't easy ... and he leaves it on ther lip, Gary arriving at a table which looks extremely inviting

Four frames in under an hour tells us how well these lads are playing. I can't wait to see how the match develops after the interval.

Zhao runs out of position so plays safe ... then gets the next chance. He quickly builds an unassailable advantage, and we're level again.

It's not that often we get to see two class players playing well at the same time, but that's what we're getting here. However, Zhao has removed the easy balls, so things might get harder from here ... but he quickly plays a shot up the table, drops on the next red, and the frame is nearly his.

Zhao leaves one that Gary can't tidy but, with reds open, I doubt we're playing safety for long. Sure enough, the world champ sinks a nasty starter in baulk, works his way up the table, and already, this looks like a chance to level us up going into the interval.

Judd Trump 1-0 Robbie Williams

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2-0 Marco Fu

Zhang Anda 1-1 Hossein Vafaei

No century this time, a mere 82 doing the business, but Gary now leads and this is rattling along.

Gary continues accumulating, a further plant taking him close to the frame. This is great stuff, and the world champion is in a match.

Zhao rattles in an opener, jabs a nasty one towards middle ... and it's not that close, missing thick. So Gary gets himself away, and does the black pass a nearby red to find left corner? Yes it does, that's why he played for it, and he's looking good out there.

Judd Trump 1-0 Robbie Williams

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 1-0 Marco Fu

Zhang Anda 1-0 Hossein Vafaei

Yup, a 101 brings us to 1-1.

This could be developing into a really fun contest. Gary is a terrific, attacking potter, and has shown bravery in skill in playing the shots necessary to secure this frame. He deserves the ton that's out there for him.

A red to corner takes Gary into two more, and from here, the frame should become his.

A mistake from Gary, responding to a decent safety, allows Zhao one and no more, but then his next shot also offers an opener, and this time the world champion gets after it. Obviously my system then crashes and when it returns to me, I see Gary at the table, decelerating through a shot – a bad sign for a player who sometimes struggles with his confidence – then taking on a plant out of frustration. But he sends it down, well played; can he build?

Judd Trump 0-0 Robbie Williams

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 0-0 Marco Fu

Zhang Anda 0-0 Hossein Vafaei

Zhao clears the table with a run of 94. Gary is a serious player, and he'll have to hit close to his top level to win here.

Zhao secures the frame, and he is a simply beautiful cueist.

A red to the green pocket ... refuses to drop, so Zhao comes to the table and gets to work. He'll need to open the pack, but he plays that shot so well you expect him to find a way of doing it. Here he goes, the balls spread ... and he's on none of them. So he takes on a longun, misses, and leaves a thin cut to middle. Gary, though, catches it too thickly, and when Zhao sinks to middle, he earns a decent chance to take the lead.

It's Gary in early doors and, with reds available and the black passing to both corners, he has a chance to score.

We're about to get going here, so let's enjoy some lovely snook.

Zhou Yuelong 0-5 Mark Allen

Wu Yize 5-2 Kyren Wilson

Ronnie O'Sullivan 5-3 Shaun Murphy

Ryan Day 5-4 Artemijs Zizins

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Marco Fu

Judd Trump v Robbie Williams

Gary Wilson v Zhao Xintong

Zhang Anda v Hossein Vafaei