Junhui vs Zhao Xintong Prediction
🔊 It's snooker time again. The Shanghai Masters rolls on, and the matchups are getting more intriguing. Let's take a look at the quarterfinal clash: Ding Junhui faces off against Zhao Xintong. This match promises to be quite captivating. Our editorial team offers their prediction and a bet with favorable odds.
Head-to-Head
The snooker players have crossed paths four times on the world tour, but that was quite some time ago. Ding Junhui claimed three victories, but we all understand that much has changed in recent months.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
Ding Junhui Player Overview
All those who were expected to exit have done so. The competition will only get tougher from here. For Ding, it doesn't really matter who he faces next, as he's seen it all on tour. The Chinese player boasts an impressive list of victories, but in this tournament, it's hard to label him as a favorite. Yet, this is snooker, and anything can happen.
In his opening match, the Chinese player faced his compatriot Zhang Anda. The match went the distance with the maximum number of frames, though early on, there was no sign of trouble. Junhui led 5-2 in frames, but then Anda found his rhythm and started putting together breaks. Zhang had the upper hand in the decisive phase but made a crucial mistake. Closing out the match then became a matter of technique. Junhui recorded two breaks over 50 points and two centuries.
Match Results: Ding Junhui
Zhao Xintong Player Overview
Zhao is undeniably a phenomenon in the game. While it's too early to label him a legend, and past controversies may keep him from that status, Xin Tong has already carved out his own story. The upside is clear: he's back in the professional circuit, and his ambitions extend beyond just winning the World Championship.
We can now say with certainty: the reigning World Champion played his first match since claiming the title. And he won it with ease. With all due respect to Chris Wakelin, he wasn't much of a challenge. The final score was 6-2, making it one of the quickest matches in the round. In the second half of the encounter, Wakelin barely scored any points. Zhao Xin Tong was impressive as always with four breaks over 50 points, plus he notched up a century.
Match Results: Zhao Xintong
Editor's Prediction
Ding Junhui's previous match was, to say the least, peculiar: he allowed his opponent to stage a comeback and barely escaped in the end. Such lapses are a luxury in a tournament of this caliber. Zhao Xintong, on the other hand, remains as reliable as ever, and giving him extra chances is a risk not worth taking, as he won't miss an opportunity to build a series once he gets going. While head-to-head history is a factor, their last meetings were quite some time ago and much has changed since then, with the young Chinese player looking quite impressive now. For the particularly daring, a handicap bet could be considered, but we’re opting for a straightforward win, especially given the appealing odds. Our bet is on Zhao Xintong to win.
Betting Tips: Ding Junhui - Zhao Xintong