Zhao Xintong wins World Snooker Championship after comeback year
Zhao Xintong has become the first Chinese player to win the World Snooker Championship, beating Mark Williams 18–12 in a gripping final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. The result, which caps a remarkable return to the game, saw Zhao overcome three-time world champion Williams with a commanding display that few would have predicted just months ago.
Having started the tournament as a qualifier, Zhao’s route to the final included four pre-tournament matches and an exhausting run of 111 frames. By the time he stepped out for the final session on Monday, he had already built a strong lead – 17–8. Williams gave the crowd a brief flicker of hope, pulling together three straight frames with breaks of 101, 96 and 73, but Zhao stayed calm under pressure and finished with an assured break of 87.
The win is a personal milestone for Zhao, but also a significant moment for Chinese snooker, coming nine years after Ding Junhui’s close-run final against Mark Selby. “This is like a dream. I can’t believe it,” Zhao told reporters after the match. “There was so much pressure. I knew if I missed, he could come back quickly.”
His journey has been anything but straightforward. Just a year ago, Zhao Xintong was serving a ban from the professional tour. He had accepted charges of betting and being involved in match manipulation, which saw him suspended for 20 months. Now back as a professional, he’s climbed from the outside ranks to 11th in the world and claimed snooker’s biggest prize along the way.
His victory also serves as a reminder of the sport’s changing landscape. Players from across the world are increasingly stepping into the spotlight, and Zhao’s win will no doubt encourage younger players in China and beyond.
The match marked a milestone for Williams as well, who, at 50, became the oldest finalist in Crucible history. He was quick to acknowledge Zhao’s performance: “I’ve got nothing but admiration for what he’s done. He hasn’t played for two years, came through the qualifiers, and bashed everyone up. There’s a new superstar of the game.”
For fans following the British snooker season, the World Snooker Tour provides a full calendar of upcoming fixtures and rankings.
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[Image Credit | Cyprus News]
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