Zhao Xintong vs Allen Prediction 21 February 2026

Zhao has strung together seven consecutive wins. Perhaps it was a clever strategy to underperform in the first half of the season, only to dominate in the second and hit peak form just in time for the World Championship. So far, that's exactly how it's playing out. We're finally witnessing top-tier snooker from one of the most talented players of our time.

As for the current tournament, it's been a rollercoaster. Zhao first staged a comeback against Elliot Slessor, despite not playing his best. Nonetheless, he managed to clinch victory in the deciding frame. Things got smoother from there as Shaun Murphy fell to the Chinese player 3-6. The first three frames were competitive, but after that, Zhao took complete control at the table. He was just five points shy of a maximum break and recorded three half-centuries along with two centuries. His pot success rate hovered around 70%.

This is where it gets interesting. Our editorial team hasn't been too confident in Mark Allen's game, but he's proving us wrong in Telford. He's racked up two impressive victories over top-tier opponents, and they were fairly straightforward. First, Allen outplayed Wu Yize (6-3). No questions there. Then came Mark Selby.

The 6-2 scoreline in the quarterfinal match is both surprising and impressive. Allen notched up four half-centuries and a century. Most importantly, he managed to pull through a couple of tight frames, which is unusual when facing Selby. A 130-point break was the highest of the match. His shot accuracy was comparable to Zhao Xintong in his own match.