O’Sullivan and Zhao level in first Crucible semi-final

Seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan is level at 4-4 with Zhao Xintong after an entertaining opening session to their World Championship semi-final.

China’s Zhao, 28, a former UK champion who is competing as an amateur, showed few signs of nerves having reached the single table set-up for the first time, racing into a 2-0 lead with breaks of 60 and 62.

However, O’Sullivan, 49, appearing at this stage for the 14th time, clicked into gear and responded with three consecutive half centuries of his own as he took the next three frames to lead 3-2.

The players then traded frames, with Zhao breaking the right corner pocket potting the black while crafting an 86 to draw level at 4-4.

Their best-of-33 frame match, due to be played over four sessions, will resume on Friday at 10: 00 BST.

Both O’Sullivan and Zhao received a standing ovation as they left the auditorium after a hugely promising opening to a contest between opponents with a shared mutual respect, who are both seeking some sort of restoration.

Widely regarded as the greatest player of all-time, O’Sullivan is bidding for a record eighth Crucible crown in the modern era.

However, it comes against a backdrop of arriving in Sheffield without any competitive action since breaking his cue in frustration at the Championship League in January.

After Wednesday’s quarter-final 13-9 win over Si Jiahui there was also an open admission that he has only reached the last four due to the shortcomings of his opponents so far.

Zhao, who he has mentored at times, is only the third player from mainland China to reach a world semi-final and is on a run of 45 wins from 47 matches since returning from a 20-month ban.

He was one 10 players from China sanctioned in a match-fixing scandal and while he did not directly throw a match, he accepted charges of being a party to another player fixing two matches and betting on matches himself.