Zhao Xintong has made snooker history, becoming the first Chinese player to win the World Snooker Championship. He also earned the distinction of being Asia’s first World Snooker Championship winner.
The 28-year-old completed his remarkable journey to the title with an 18-12 victory against three-time champion Mark Williams in the final at the Crucible Theatre in the UK city of Sheffield, winning US$663,000 in prize money.
Zhao’s victory comes in the wake of a high-profile betting scandal that he was connected with. There was no suggestion that he threw a match, but he was found to have placed bets in another player’s match-fixing, which led to a 20-month ban. Several other Chinese players were punished, some of whom being been banned for life.
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Zhao’s ban was completed last September and his enforced amateur status meant he had to navigate four qualifying rounds to reach the main draw at the Crucible.
Williams, despite his defeat, was full of praise for Zhao. “There’s a new superstar of the game,” he said.
Zhao’s victory is a testament to the growing popularity of snooker in China. According to the New York Times, it is estimated that “50 million people play the sport, up to 350 million watch it and China has 300,000 snooker halls.” China now holds both the male and female World Snooker Championship titles, with Bai Yulu winning the 2024 World Women’s Snooker Championship.
