Core Points - Chinese player Zhao Xintong defeated seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan 17-7 in the semifinals of the Snooker World Championship, becoming the second Asian player to reach the finals [1][2] - Zhao Xintong's victory ties him with Ding Junhui for the best performance by an Asian player in the World Championship, with a chance to make history in the final [2] - O'Sullivan had not competed in over three months due to health reasons, which affected his performance in the match against Zhao Xintong [1][4] Match Details - The semifinal match started evenly at 4-4, but Zhao Xintong dominated the second session with an 8-0 score, ultimately winning the match [1] - Zhao Xintong expressed that he felt less pressure this time, which contributed to his strong performance, and he acknowledged O'Sullivan's mentorship [4] - O'Sullivan praised Zhao Xintong's potential and expressed his willingness to help him, while also noting that Zhao would face greater challenges in the final against either Judd Trump or Mark Williams [5]