Zhao Xintong Crowned World Snooker Champion, Billed as Century's Superstar in Billiards Field
China's Zhao Xintong Crowned Snooker World Champion 2025
In a remarkable comeback from scandal, Zhao Xintong, 28, has claimed the prestigious title of Snooker World Champion 2025. Born on April 3, 1997, in Xi'an, China, Zhao began his passion for the game at the tender age of eight, honing his skills on a snooker table in his neighborhood.
His determination led him to convince his parents to purchase a table for their home, and he spent countless hours practicing, ultimately setting his sights on a professional career. His aspirations took flight in 2012, as he embarked on his amateur career at the age of 15. He swiftly rose through the ranks, toppling seasoned players like Xiao Guodong, Ken Doherty, and Steve Davis at his first tournaments.
Despite reaching the final of the World Amateur Championship in 2013, Zhao would find himself set back by two years before securing a tour card. His tourcard came as a lucky break: after losing in the final of the IBSF World Snooker Championship, Pankaj Advani declined the tour card, allowing Zhao to join the professional circuit.
His progress on the Main Tour was initially challenging, with numerous ranking events ending in defeats. Losing his tour card after just two years, Zhao battled to regain his place on the tour, and in 2018, he experienced his first significant success, reaching the semifinals of the China Championship.
Building on this momentum, Zhao climbed the WST world rankings, reaching the last 16 in many tournaments. He secured his first ranking title in 2021, besting Luca Brecel to take home the UK Championship, propelling him to ninth in the world rankings. In the following year, he bagged the German Masters.
However, Zhao's ascent took an unexpected turn in 2023 when he was temporarily suspended due to a match-fixing investigation. The scandal would later be revealed as the biggest in snooker history, with Liang Wenbo and Li Hang accused of running an illegal match-fixing ring. Ten Chinese players were implicated, including Zhao Xintong, who was suspended for 20 months.
During his suspension, an independent commission found that Zhao had not himself fixed any matches but had placed bets on behalf of another player, securing him a relatively lenient punishment.
His ban ended in September 2024, and after qualifying as an amateur through the Q School, Zhao dazzled on the Q Tour, winning three consecutive events – the first on the Q Tour featuring a maximum break.
Entering the 2025 Snooker World Championship as an underdog, he made history, emerging triumphant against Mark Williams with a commanding 18-12 victory at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Zhao's victory symbolizes a major milestone for Chinese snooker, marking the first time an Asian and Chinese player has claimed the world title.
Now ranked 11th in the new WST world rankings, snooker fans should brace themselves for an exhilarating 2025/2026 season, with Zhao Xintong poised to challenge the sport's elite and dominate the field in the coming years.
What did Zhao Xintong accomplish in 2025, following his comeback from suspension? He was crowned the Snooker World Champion 2025, marking the first time an Asian and Chinese player has claimed the world title in sports, particularly football.
