Crowned as the World Snooker Champion and Hailed as the Century's Prodigy: Zhao Xintong's Glorious Victory.
Title: Snooker's Chinese Whiz, Zhao Xintong: The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of the New World Champion
Meet the Centennial Talent
Born on April 3, 1997, in the heart of Xi’an, China, Zhao Xintong emerged as a prodigious snooker sensation. Not much is known about his family life, but he was a hospital employee's only child and spent his early years swimming in a sea of competitive spirit.
One fateful day, Zhao stumbled upon a forgotten snooker table in his neighborhood, and that was the spark that ignited his passion. Hours turned into days as he honed his skills on the table, determined to one day conquer the sport.
Rising the Ranks (Almost)
At just 15 years old, Zhao began his amateur career with a bang, defeating seasoned players like Xiao Guodong, Ken Doherty, and Steve Davis. The amateur ace reached the finals of the World Amateur Championship in 2013, losing out to Zhuo Yuelong and missing out on a tour card.
However, unsold tour cards from past seasons presented Zhao with another shot. In the 2015 IBSF World Snooker Championship finale, he fought tooth and nail against Pankaj Advani but emerged just short of victory. To Zhao's surprise, Advani opted to decline his tour card, opening the door for Zhao to join the Main Tour.
Crawling Back Up
Zhao's journey on the Main Tour was messy and marked by several setbacks. He repeatedly competed in ranking events but struggled to make an impact, eventually losing his tour card after a mere two years. To reclaim his place, he had to battle it out at the Q School.
The gamble paid off. In 2018, Zhao made it to the semifinals of the China Championship and the quarterfinals of the Welsh Open. The following year, he qualified for the World Snooker Championship for the first time only to be ousted by Mark Selby in the initial round.
Taste of Success
In the years that followed, Zhao slowly but steadily climbed the WST world rankings, achieving his first ranking title in 2021 with a triumphant 10-5 victory over Luca Brecel at the UK Championship, securing a spot in the top 9 players worldwide. The German Masters crown was his next piece of silverware, which he earned in 2022.
The Ugly Truth: A Match-Fixing Scandal
Just as Zhao's career seemed poised for greatness, the unthinkable happened. On January 3, 2023, Zhao was temporarily suspended due to a match-fixing investigation [Link in English]. It was the biggest match-fixing scandal in snooker history, implicating not only Zhao but a whole slew of Chinese players as part of an illegal ring run by Liang Wenbo and Li Hang.
Though some players received lifetime bans, Zhao's punishment was, relatively speaking, lenient. An independent commission found Zhao guilty of betting on behalf of another player but determined that he didn't manipulate any matches himself. Zhao's ban ended on September 1, 2024, but he was barred from participating in snooker tournaments in China until July 2025.
Back on Top (Almost)
Zhao made a splash on the Q Tour after his ban, winning Q Tour Event 3 in Stockholm with a historic maximum break, and then swiftly followed it up with another victory in Manchester, yet another maximum break in tow. His breathtaking 32-game winning streak on the Q Tour secured him a tour card for the 2025/2026 season and, most importantly, qualification for the Snooker World Championship 2025.
After navigating the qualification and demolishing his opponents in the main draw, Zhao silenced his critics and crowned himself Snooker World Champion on Monday evening in a nail-biting climax, marking the long-awaited triumph of one of the greatest talents in the sport's history.
The Future's Bright – or is it?
With his new title, Zhao has the potential to dominate snooker for years to come. The Chinese sensation is expected to break into the top 16 players worldwide, shaping future tournaments with his impressive gameplay and steadfast focus.
Yet, Zhao faces several challenges ahead. The pressure to maintain his form and defend his title looms large. However, he expressed his determination to stay at the top, vowing to push the boundaries of snooker for years to come.
Zhao's win is expected to raise the profile of snooker in China, giving hope to a new generation of aspiring players and potentially leading to a surge in popularity and support for the sport.
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In the ever-evolving world of snooker, online casinos in Germany might be surprised to see a rise in sports betting on snooker matches, given Zhao Xintong's recent unprecedented comeback from a match-fixing scandal. With a passion for the sport ignited in his childhood, Zhao Xintong, the new world champion, is now set to bring a burst of energy to sports betting scenes across Germany as he aims to dominate snooker for years to come.
