The World Snooker Championship commenced at the Crucible in Sheffield with a minute of applause honoring John Virgo, who passed away in February at age 79. Virgo secured the UK Championship title in 1979 and had a notable career as a player, but gained wider recognition through his commentary work. Over his 18-year professional tenure, he advanced to the World Championship semi-finals in 1979. He joined the BBC in 1994, where his distinctive voice featured in their snooker broadcasts for 30 years. He was renowned for his signature phrase: ‘Where’s the cue ball going?’ On Thursday, prominent figures from the sport assembled at Sheffield Cathedral for a memorial service to commemorate the commentator. The 17-day event started with defending champion Zhao Xintong competing on Saturday morning. The Chinese athlete, who defeated Mark Williams 18-12 in the 2025 final, began his title defense unevenly but secured a 10-7 victory over qualifier Liam Highfield. Zhao narrowly avoided an early exit like those experienced by Luca Brecel and Kyren Wilson in their 2024 and 2025 defenses. He held a slim 5-4 advantage after the first session against Highfield, who had no prior wins in the main event but managed to tie with the world number four. Despite inconsistencies, Zhao shifted momentum by winning a key 11th frame and clinched the best-of-19 match with a bold long pot on his initial red, leading to a decisive century break. ‘This evening brought a lot of pressure; it was tough for me,’ he shared with BBC Sport. ‘A couple of days back, I believed I could manage it, but not anymore. I aimed to stay composed and appreciate the game, yet I struggled tonight. I hope to perform better in the next stage.’ He could face fellow Chinese player Ding Junhui in a highly anticipated second-round matchup on Friday, pending Ding’s win over David Gilbert. Zhao noted: ‘Playing Ding would draw widespread attention. Facing him would make me feel positive.’ In other action, Mark Williams built a 6-3 edge against Polish qualifier Antoni Kowalski. The contest between Xiao Guodong and Zhou Yuelong was closely fought, with Xiao leading 5-4 after the afternoon session. During the morning, 14th seed Mark Allen trailed 5-3 to Zhang Anda, as the Northern Irish competitor dropped three consecutive frames before stemming the slide just prior to the break.
