Zhao Xintong Makes Snooker History for China

On Monday, Zhao defeated three-time world champion Mark Williams 18-12 to make history. He is now the first Asian player and the first amateur to win at the Crucible Theatre.

Williams praised the 28-year-old, calling him a "superstar." Jason Ferguson, chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), said Zhao could lift the sport to "another level" in China.

"He's a national hero now and has etched his name into the sport's history books," said Ferguson in an interview with BBC Sport. "In China, he could easily become one of the biggest sports stars. He's young, skilled, speaks both Mandarin and English and plays an exciting game."

Ferguson added that China's love for winners makes Zhao's story even more powerful. "They celebrate champions, and he has the potential to be the most loved sports personality in the country."

Zhao also joins a rare club of qualifiers to win the title since the tournament moved to Sheffield in 1977—only Terry Griffiths and Shaun Murphy had done so before him.

Even more remarkable is that Zhao only recently returned to the sport after serving a 20-month suspension. He had been one of 10 Chinese players banned for involvement in a match-fixing scandal. Despite the long break, Zhao had an impressive run on the amateur Q Tour this season and made it through four tough qualifying matches before lifting the trophy.

Mark Williams said after the match, "I'll be too old when he starts dominating. I truly admire what he has done. Two years out, he comes back and beats everyone. There's a new superstar in town."

He added, "This could change everything. Like Luke Littler did for darts, Zhao could open up snooker to a new era."

This victory adds to China's recent snooker success. The country, home to over 300,000 snooker clubs and a population of 1.4 billion, is already celebrating Bai Yulu, who became the first Chinese woman to win the world championship in 2024. She will defend her title in China later this month.

May Zhao, reporting from Sheffield for the International Sports Press Association, said, "Zhao's victory isn't just a personal win—it's a historic moment for Chinese snooker. His success will likely inspire youth and help advance training systems in the country. Commercially, this could reshape the sport's future in China."

A historic shift appears to be underway. Although 10 Chinese players qualified for the televised stages this year, only Ding Junhui (6th), Zhang Anda (11th), Xiao Guodong (12th), and Si Jiahui (14th) were in the top 16 before the tournament.

The sport's top five players are still British, with Judd Trump and Shaun Murphy having won the season's other two major events—the UK Championship and the Masters. Trump and Kyren Wilson had a combined total of seven major finals wins this season. Before Zhao's win, Chinese players had only clinched two titles, both on home turf, plus Lei Peifan's victory in the Scottish Open.

With this win, Zhao jumps straight to world number 11, signaling a major shift in the sport. "I can't believe I became world champion so quickly after the suspension," Zhao said. "I just wanted to qualify. Now, this win will inspire many children in China to follow this path."

China has been preparing for such a breakthrough since Ding Junhui's victory over Stephen Hendry in the 2005 China Open, watched by 110 million viewers. Though Ding lost the 2016 world final to Mark Selby, he has long been the face of Chinese snooker.

John Parrott, the 1991 world champion, commented: "We've waited years for this. Ding came close, but Zhao reaching the final will push viewership through the roof. It's a game-changer for China."

The tide is clearly turning. With legends like O'Sullivan, Williams, and Higgins nearing their 50s, new stars from Asia are stepping up. While China doesn't have a national snooker curriculum, many academies have started integrating it with regular education.

Matt Huart, head of communications at WPBSA, said, "I've seen kids in China hand over their phones at 9 a.m. and train for hours in snooker, along with schoolwork."

The final aired across every Chinese household via CCTV5, with an estimated audience of 150 million. China already makes up more than half of snooker's global TV audience.

Ferguson concluded, "Ten years ago, the tour was dominated by players from the UK. Now, we're hosting events in Chinese cities that are half the size of the UK. The volume of clubs and interest is enormous. Snooker is even viewed like an Olympic sport there, which helps develop talent."

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