Zhao Xintong became the first Chinese to become world snooker champion, beating Mark Williams 18-12 in the final on Monday. The win also made him the first Asian to achieve the feat.
The 28-year-old extended his lead from the previous day, ultimately securing victory with a stunning performance at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. This triumph not only marks a significant milestone for Zhao but also highlights his incredible journey back to the sport after a suspension last year.
Zhao Xintong and his comeback to become World Snooker Champion
The fixing scandal in 2023 involved 10 Chinese players in total that rocked the nation, the sport’s biggest market in the television landscape. China makes up more than 50% of snooker’s global audience.
A record 10 Chinese players reached the first round proper of the worlds this year and six of them made it through to the last 16.
Xintong is now a hero in China. His resilience and comeback following a 20-month ban is commendable.
World Snooker Tour officials estimated that the final was watched by a potential audience of 150-200 million live streams in China and a cumulative audience of 50-150 million on China’s CCTV5.
Zhao took home the sport’s biggest prize — as well as a winner’s check of 500,000 pounds ($670,000).
On winning the championship, Zhao expressed his disbelief and joy, stating, “This is like a dream. I can’t believe it.”
The new champion is set to rise to 11th in the world rankings when he returns to the professional tour next season. This win also places him in an elite group of players, as he becomes only the third qualifier to win the World Championship since the tournament’s relocation to Sheffield in 1977.
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His in over Williams marked his 47th victory out of 49 matches this season.
“It’s very good for Chinese snooker,” Zhao Xintong said. “I’m very happy I’ve done this for them. It’s unbelievable. This is like a dream. When I shook hands with Mark [Williams] I nearly cried. My first target was just to get through the qualifiers. In the future, many Chinese players can win this.”
The sport has traditionally been dominated by British players but there have now been two overseas winners of the world championship in the past three years, after Belgium’s Luca Brecel captured the title in 2023.
The only other non-British winner this century was Neil Robertson of Australia in 2010.
