Oliver Lines produced a significant upset on Sunday, eliminating world number one Zhao Xintong with a 4-2 victory in the opening round of the English Open. The win marks a notable achievement for the 31-year-old English player, who is currently ranked 53rd in the world.
Zhao, the reigning 2025 world champion, started strongly, compiling two century breaks to level the contest at 2-2 after the first four frames. However, Lines responded with crucial breaks of 77 and 84 in the subsequent frames to secure the win and book his place in the last 32, where he will face Yuan Sijun.
Reflecting on the match, Lines emphasized the necessity of peak performance against such a high-caliber opponent. “You know you have to raise your game,” Lines said. “You try not to think about it, but you know if you don’t play somewhere near your best then you are going home.”
The tournament saw other mixed results among the top seeds. World number four Neil Robertson was knocked out 4-3 by China’s Luo Zetao. Meanwhile, former world champion Kyren Wilson advanced comfortably with a 4-1 win over Poland’s Mateusz Baranowski, and three-time UK Championship winner Ding Junhui edged out Michael Holt 4-3.
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