Hendry

And when he compiled a break of 52 to win the next, Zhao looked on course to win his second successive match with a session to spare and would record the biggest winning margin in a world final since Stephen Hendry defeated Jimmy White 18-5 in 1993.

But the game's popularity in China has boomed ever since a shy Ding Junhui defeated seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry to win the 2005 China Open, two days after his 18th birthday.

An exhibition featuring Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor - 40 years on from Taylor's victory in their famous black-ball final - was instead provided, along with a question-and-answer session with seven-time winner Stephen Hendry and 1997 champion Ken Doherty.

Widely regarded as the greatest player in history, O'Sullivan has won 41 ranking events - five more than Scottish great Stephen Hendry, who also has seven world titles - and has broken almost every record in the sport.

Nevertheless it brought up Trump's 11th century at this year's World Championship, with the record of 16 in a single Crucible campaign, set by Stephen Hendry in 2002 and equalled by Mark Williams in 2022, now in his sights.