Zhao's Journey: From Suspension to the Edge of Chinese Sports Legacy
New and Improved Snooker Sensation Zhao Xintong Destined to Make History
Age 28, Zhao Xintong stands on the brink of snooker greatness. With the potential to be China's first world champion, he's poised to outshine his fellow countryman, Ding Junhui.
Recently, at Sheffield's Crucible, the unofficial mecca of snooker, the left-handed Zhao thrashed seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan 17-7 in the semi-finals.
In the final, Zhao faces Welshman Mark Williams this Sunday and Monday, a chance to pen his name in the annals of Chinese sport. His journey to the World Snooker Championship final hasn't been without its struggles.
Banned for 20 months due to involvement in a major betting scandal, Zhao returned to the Crucible this time as an amateur. Although he's played in the shadow of controversy, his talent remains undeniable.
Recent match-fixing scandals have left their mark on Chinese snooker players, with 10 of them suspended in a case that shook the sport to its core in 2023. Two players, Liang Wenbo and Li Hang, were given lifetime bans. Zhao's suspension was a comparatively brief one, testament to the fact that he didn't deliberately throw matches.
A Snooker Expatriate in Sheffield
Like many Chinese players now rising through the ranks, Zhao calls Sheffield his home. He's affiliated with the Chinese-run Victoria's Snooker Academy, just a stone's throw from the Crucible. Nearby lies the Ding Junhui Snooker Academy, further evidence of China's growing influence in the sport.
As many as ten Chinese players competed at the Crucible this year, a testament to China's increasingly prominent role in the sport.
From Idolizing Ding to Making a Name
"My goal when I was younger was to become someone like Ding Junhui," a 17-year-old Zhao once stated in a 2015 Chinese documentary called "Becoming Ding Junhui." China's first snooker star won the UK Championship three times and the Masters in 2011. Despite losing the World Championship final in 2016, Ding remains an inspiration for aspiring players like Zhao.
The 'Luckiest Kid in the Snooker World'
Born in Xian, Zhao moved with his parents to the metropolis of Shenzhen as a child. His father, Zhao Xiaowei, holds the post of vice-president in a hospital, while his mother, Wen Anxiao, is a nurse in the same hospital. Curiosity led Zhao to a few snooker tables set outside shops near his home, and as his interest grew, his parents placed a table in their home for him to practice on. Despite their initial skepticism about Zhao's ambitions, they supported him wholeheartedly.
In the documentary, Zhao described himself as the "luckiest kid in the snooker world," acknowledging the crucial role his parents played in his journey. Even legends like Ronnie O'Sullivan admire Zhao, conceding every error until eventually succumbing to the Chinese sensation's overwhelming gameplay.
Away from the green baize, Zhao's personal life has faced its share of scrutiny in China. Images of Zhao with a Chinese student he met in Britain circulated, depicting a perceived flaunting of his family's wealth. Rumors and speculation have followed him, but they cannot overshadow the brilliance of the snooker master about to make history.
© 2025 AFP
- By 2025, Zhao Xintong, the snooker prodigy currently residing in Sheffield, is supposed to display his talent in sports, competing against Mark Williams in the World Snooker Championship final.
- Despite controversies and a brief suspension due to a betting scandal, Zhao's achievements, such as defeating seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan at the Crucible in 2025, have solidified his position as a noteworthy figure in the snooker world.
- Although Zhao Xintong initially idolized Ding Junhui, he is now on the path to making a name for himself in the sports world, much like Ding did when he won the UK Championship three times and the Masters in 2011.
