Murphy advances to World Championship semi-finals after defeating Zhao

Shaun Murphy has progressed to the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship following an impressive 13-10 victory over Zhao Xintong at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

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The result dashes Zhao's hopes of overcoming what has been described as the Crucible curse. No player from China has ever won the World Championship at the iconic venue, and Zhao had been among the contenders expected to challenge for the title this year.

Murphy's composed performance throughout the match demonstrated his experience at this stage of the competition. The victory sets up a semi-final clash with John Higgins, who also advanced after his own quarter-final victory.

The win marks a significant milestone for Murphy, who won the World Championship title in 2005. According to BBC Sport, his latest display at the Crucible suggests he may be returning to the form that characterised his earlier career success. The semi-final will be contested across the traditional best-of-33 frames format.