Lethal Snooker Streak: Zhao Xintong Reigns as World Champion
Zhao Xintong Claims World Snooker Championship Title, Lauded as Century's Exceptional Talent
By Miriam Prellwitz Edited by Angela Burke Published on: 07.05.2025. Updated on: 08.05.2025.
- Zhao Xintong Takes the Snooker World Crown in 2025
- A prodigy with a checkered past
- Get the lowdown on the new king of snooker
Early Triumphs
Born on April 3, 1997, in Xi'an, China, Zhao Xintong grew up as an only child with parents who worked in a hospital. At the age of eight, he stumbled upon a snooker table in his neighborhood, and his fascination sparked an obsession that consumed him for hours on end.
Persuading his parents to invest in a table for their home, he honed his skills relentlessly. With dreams of professional glory dancing in his head, he announced his ambition to his family at the tender age of 15, marking the beginning of his amateur career.
Zhao swiftly garnered attention in his initial tournaments, taking down veterans like Xiao Guodong, Ken Doherty, and Steve Davis. In 2013, he showcased his potential, reaching the final of the World Amateur Championship, only to fall to Zhuo Yuelong, just short of a tour card.
Two years later, Zhao secured a tour card rather luckily when his opponent in the final of the IBSF World Snooker Championship, Pankaj Advani, declined the tour card, offering Zhao a two-year run on the professional tour.
Climbing the Ranks
Zhao's pro career began shakily as he struggled to make his mark in numerous ranking events. After two years on the Main Tour, he lost his place and had to battle his way back through the Q School.
His breakthrough came in 2018, when he advanced to the semifinals of the China Championship and made it to the quarterfinals of the Welsh Open. A year later, he qualifiied for the World Championship for the first time, but fell to Mark Selby in the first round.
Over the ensuing years, Zhao gained ground on the World Snooker Tour rankings, frequently reaching the last 16 in various tournaments. He notched his first ranking title win in 2021, triumphing at the UK Championship with a 10-5 triumph over Luca Brecel, catapulting him to ninth in the world rankings. He then bagged the German Masters trophy in 2022.
Match-Fixing Scandal and Suspension
In 2023, Zhao's rise came to a screeching halt when he was temporarily suspended due to a match-fixing investigation [Link in English]. What followed was revealed to be the biggest match-fixing scandal in snooker history.
Liang Wenbo and Li Hang were charged with running an illegal match-fixing ring and manipulating results. Ten Chinese players, including Zhao, were implicated. Though the remorseful participants received lifetime bans, Zhao received a comparatively lenient 20-month suspension [Link in English] for betting on behalf of another player and knowing about the ring.
Zhao was found innocent of any personal match-fixing activity. His cooperation facilitated a relatively lenient penalty.
His ban concluded on September 1, 2024. Following his suspension, Zhao had to reclaim his spot through the Q School.
However, Zhao is forbidden from participating in snooker tournaments in China until July 2025, as the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association imposed a prolonged ban on him.
Aggressive Style to the Extreme
For many experts and players, Zhao is one of the greatest snooker talents of all time. Previously, snooker legends Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry were convinced that Zhao could become world champion and dominate the sport [Link in English].
Zhao's aggressive playing style harks back to Stephen Hendry's heyday. When he played at the snooker world championship, he left pundits awe-struck by his exceptional precision and powerful pottings. It seemed as if every ball landed precisely where Zhao intended it to [Video in English]:
A post shared by WST (@worldsnookertour)
Triumphant Resurgence and World Championship Victory
After his ban, Zhao turned heads on the Q Tour. In October 2024, he conquered the Q Tour Event 3 in Stockholm, breaking records with a maximum break - the first player to do so on the Q Tour. He then claimed the Q Tour Event 4 in Manchester, again achieving a maximum break.
Throughout the season, he ran undefeated for 32 games on the Q Tour. These victories secured him a tour card for the 25/26 season and the opportunity to compete in the Snooker World Championship 2025.
With determination and skill, he navigated the qualifiers and overpowered his opponents in the main draw to seize the first-time Snooker World Championship on Monday evening.
The Future: A Snooker Empire in the Making
Zhao undisputedly possesses the talent to control snooker over the next few years. Fresh from his world championship win, he is poised to play with unprecedented self-assurance.
He is now eligible to participate in all major tournaments. The WST published the new world rankings [Link in English] yesterday, where Zhao ranks 11th.
Snooker enthusiasts can therefore expect an electrifying 2025/2026 season.
Zhao Xintong, now a German-based online casinos favorite, has set his sights on sports other than just snooker, harboring a passion for football.
His immense achievements in snooker, culminating in the World Championship victory in 2025, have earned him a spot in prestigious platforms such as the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF).
Despite originally hailing from China, Zhao continues to face restrictions in his native country, as he remains barred from participating in snooker tournaments until July 2025 by the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association due to past altercations.
*Aiming to build an empire in the world of sports, Zhao Xintong, the reigning snooker world champion, is set to break new ground and leave his mark in both snooker and football.
