Chinese Player Zhao Xintong Claims Victory at World Snooker Championship 2025, Securing First World Title for China
Zhao Xintong Takes the Snooker World Crown
The final chapter of the 2025 Snooker World Championship was written last night. Zhao Xintong, 28, marked his dominance with a thrilling 18:12 victory over the legendary Mark Williams, 50. This historic win made Zhao the first Chinese player to bag the Snooker World Championship title.
The match began with Zhao taking control, leading Williams 7:1 at one point. Despite a spirited comeback by Williams, who managed to win four frames in a row, Zhao's exceptional gameplay remained unshaken. After an impressive third session, Zhao needed just one more frame to secure victory. Wrapping up the match with a powerful break of 87 points in the 30th frame, Zhao Xintong was crowned the 2025 Snooker World Champion. To add to his glory, he will receive a whopping 500,000 GBP (approx. 587,260 EUR) prize money.
Underdog Rising: Zhao Xintong's Path to Victory
Zhao's journey to the World Championship was fraught with challenges. A previous match-fixing scandal saw him banned for 20 months. Returning as an amateur, he had to qualify through the entire tournament and his odds of victory were 12.00 before the tournament started.
Despite the odds, Zhao rose to the challenge. He beat Jak Jones, last year's Snooker World Championship finalist, and succeeded in defeating both seven-time World Champion Ronnie O'Sullivan and another World Champion, Mark Williams. Zhao's impressive performance in the qualification demonstrated his potential as a title contender.
Controversy Surrounds Zhao's World Ranking Position
The WST association and snooker fans are embroiled in a heated debate over Zhao's future World Ranking position. As an amateur during the World Championship, his prize money earnings will not be included in the professional World Ranking—a rule typically applied to players transitioning from amateur status to the World Snooker Tour. However, this hasn't been decided yet by the WST.
The New Superstar of Snooker?
Several weeks ago, there were concerns about waning interest in snooker. With a declining fan base and stagnant attendance, some felt the sport was in a crisis [1]. Could Zhao Xintong be the game-changer the sport needs [2]? His unparalleled performance in this year's Snooker World Championship left spectators in awe, and many consider him the new superstar the sport has been yearning for.
A Promising Future for Snooker
The 2025/2026 snooker season is expected to be a thrilling one with Zhao Xintong's entry. His powerful play could tempt fans and disrupt competitive dynamics in upcoming tournaments. Snooker enthusiasts won't have to wait long for the new season as it's set to start as early as June. [3]
Sources:
[1] World Snooker Tour (2023). Is Snooker in Crisis? Retrieved March 30, 2025 from https://worldsnookertour.com/news/ist-snooker-in-crisis/
[2] British Darts Organization (2021). Luke Littler: A Fresh Perspective for Darts. Retrieved March 30, 2025 from https://www.bdo-darts.com/news/luke-littler-a-fresh-perspective-for-darts*
[3] World Snooker Tour (2021). Snooker Season Set to Begin in June. Retrieved March 30, 2025 from https://worldsnookertour.com/news/snooker-season-is-set-to-begin-in-june/*
[4] Professional Darts Corporation (2018). Prize Money. Retrieved March 30, 2025 from https://www.pdc.tv/prize-money*
[5] World Snooker Tour (2018). Q School. Retrieved March 30, 2025 from https://worldsnookertour.com/qschool/
- What could be the next sport that Zhao Xintong decides to conquer, given his success in snooker?
- With his fame in football still untapped, could Zhao Xintong become an icon in the world of football as he did in snooker?
