Zhao’s world championship win will take snooker to ‘another level’: sport’s chief

World snooker chief Jason Ferguson says Chinese trailblazer Zhao Xintong’s world championship triumph in Sheffield will take the sport to “another level”.

Zhao defeated three-time winner Mark Williams 18-12 on Monday to become the first Asian champion at the Crucible, draping himself in the Chinese flag as he celebrated.

Ferguson, chairman of the sport’s governing body, described the 28-year-old as a “national hero”.

“He has entered the history books of this sport and in China he will probably be one of the biggest stars there,” Ferguson, chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association told the BBC.

“Snooker is so big in China. He is young, talented and entertaining and speaks both English and Mandarin. This is going to take snooker to another level.

“China loves its heroes and winners. Some countries back underdogs but in China they really celebrate their champions. He has the ability to become the most popular sporting star in the country.”

Zhao is only the third qualifier after Terry Griffiths and Shaun Murphy to capture snooker’s biggest prize since the tournament moved to Sheffield in 1977.

He has been playing as an amateur since September as he continues his comeback after a 20-month ban for involvement in a 2023 betting scandal.

China now has the reigning male and female champions after Bai Yulu won the 2024 World Women’s Snooker Championship.

The defeated Williams said Zhao’s victory could be a pivotal moment for snooker and potentially “open floodgates everywhere”.

“We have a new superstar. It’s what snooker needed, someone like him to come through,” he said. “He will be a great world champion. He is probably the best potter I have ever seen – I have nothing but admiration for him. 

“He has bashed everyone up including Ronnie (O’Sullivan) and me. Just watch him because he could dominate, or at least give Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson (the top-ranked players in the world) a run for their money.”

A record 10 Chinese players competed in the 32-strong main draw at the Crucible this year, reflecting the nation’s growing strength in snooker.

On Chinese social media platform Weibo the hashtag “Zhao Xintong wins world championship” had 120 million views as of Tuesday morning and was among the top-trending stories.

Ding Junhui, China’s first snooker star and the beaten finalist at the 2016 world championship, hailed Zhao’s achievement.

“Today Zhao Xintong did it! What he won is the shared dream of generations of Chinese snooker players,” he wrote on Weibo.

“I’m happy for you and proud of the rise of Chinese strength!”