Crowned World Snooker Champion: Skillful Player Zhao Xintong Labeled as Century's Talent
Title: Rising Phoenix: Zhao Xintong, the Controversial Snooker World Champion
By: Mia L. Roberts *Edited by: Lara M. Harris *Published on: 10.06.2025. Updated on: 28.05.2025.
- Zhao Xintong Claims the Snooker World Championship Title 2025 Amid Scandals and Controversy
- A Talent of Centuries: Zhao's Enormous Potential Amidst Troubled Waters
Early Dreams on the Green Felt
Zhao Xintong, 28, was born on April 3, 1997, in Xi'an, China. Little is known about his family beyond the fact that both his parents were hospital workers, and he grew up as an only child.
At the tender age of eight, Zhao stumbled upon a snooker table in his neighborhood and spent countless hours honing his skills on it. Intrigued, he begged his parents to buy him a table of his own and set it up at home. He then spent hours upon hours practicing, sharing his dream of becoming a professional snooker player with his parents.
His persistence paid off: in 2012, Zhao embarked on his amateur career at the age of 15 and quickly made waves at his tournaments. He defeated veterans like Xiao Guodong, Ken Doherty, and Steve Davis, capturing the attention of snooker enthusiasts.
In a heartbreaking turn, he reached the final of the World Amateur Championship in 2013 but fell short to Zhuo Yuelong and missed out on a tour card.
He secured his tour card two years later in 2015, through a stroke of luck. In the final of the IBSF World Snooker Championship, an amateur tournament, he lost to Pankaj Advani, who declined the tour card, granting Zhao an opportunity to play on the professional tour for two years.
Storms on the Professional Tour
Zhao's stint on the Main Tour got off to a tumultuous start. He entered numerous ranking events but failed to leave an impact. By 2017, he had lost his tour card and was forced to compete in the Q School once more.
He experienced his first significant success in 2018, reaching the semifinals of the China Championship. In the same year, he also made it to the quarterfinals of the Welsh Open. The following year saw him qualify for the World Snooker Championship for the first time, where he was defeated in the first round by Mark Selby.
Despite the setbacks, Zhao continued to climb the World Snooker Tour rankings, eventually reaching the last 16 in numerous tournaments. He won his first ranking title in 2021, claiming the UK Championship by taking down Luca Brecel 10-5 in the final and ranking 9th in the world. A year later, he added the German Masters trophy to his collection.
A Match-Fixing Scandal Shakes the Foundations
Zhao's hopes seemed within reach – until a match-fixing scandal shook the snooker community in 2023. On January 3, 2023, Zhao was temporarily suspended due to a match-fixing investigation. It soon became clear that this was the most significant fixing scandal in snooker history.
Liang Wenbo and Li Hang were accused of orchestrating an illegal match-fixing ring, with ten Chinese players, including Zhao Xintong, caught up in the middle. Some of the players received lifetime bans, but Zhao was suspended for 20 months.
An independent commission found that Zhao did not manipulate any matches himself. However, he was aware of the fixing ring and placed bets on behalf of another player, earning a relatively lenient suspension.
Zhao's ban expired on September 1, 2024. Afterwards, he had to earn his place back on the tour via the Q School. Interestingly, until July 2025, Zhao is not allowed to participate in snooker tournaments in China due to his involvement in the match-fixing scandal.
A Combativeforce on the Snooker Table
For many experts and players, Zhao is one of the greatest snooker talents of all time. Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry considered him a potential World Champion and future dominator of the sport even a few years ago [Link in English].
Zhao's aggressive playing style bears a striking resemblance to the young Stephen Hendry. In the Snooker World Championship, he exhibited an extraordinary precision and exceptional potting, causing every ball to land exactly where he wanted it to [Video in English]:
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Redemption andacity
After serving his suspension, Zhao shone brilliantly on the Q Tour. He emerged victorious in the Q Tour Event 3 in Stockholm in October 2024, even notching the first maximum break on the Q Tour. He followed this achievement with yet another maximum break at the Q Tour Event 4 in Manchester.
In the span of two months, he amassed a total of 32 consecutive wins on the Q Tour. These victories ensured he secured a tour card for the 25/26 season and qualification for the Snooker World Championship 2025.
Following successful qualification and triumphant runs in the main rounds, Zhao claimed the Snooker World Championship title for the first time on Monday evening.
What the Future Holds for Zhao
Zhao has undeniably demonstrated an enormous talent, achieving a world championship title in 2025. With renewed confidence, he should continue to excel in the coming 2025/2026 season.
He is now ranked 11th in the world and will be eligible to participate in major tournaments. With fans eagerly anticipating the exciting 2025/2026 snooker season, we can only wait to see if Zhao Xintong will fulfill his promise and become the dominant force many expect him to be.
Question: What sports is Zhao Xintong a champion in, and had to face a match-fixing scandal in his career?
Answer 1: Zhao Xintong is a champion in snooker, winning the Snooker World Championship Title 2025 amidst controversy and a match-fixing scandal.
Answer 2: Zhao Xintong is a snooker player who faced a match-fixing scandal in 2023, which temporarily suspended him, but he later claimed the Snooker World Championship title in 2025.
