UNSTOPPABLE Zhao Xintong has become China’s first snooker world champion – eight months after his return from a corruption ban.
New ground in the sport was broken as Xintong crushed the spirit and resistance of veteran potter Mark Williams 18-12 in the 49th Crucible final – despite a gusty fightback by the Welshman in the evening session.
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With an estimated 150 million people watching the afternoon action on TV in China, the amateur ace banked £500,000 in prize money and moved up to 11th in the world rankings for next season.
Nobody has played more matches and been engaged in more frames to lift the famous silver trophy than this part-timer cueist.
Xintong – the first qualifier to win the title since Shaun Murphy in 2005 – has won NINE successive ties, including four qualifiers, and prevailed in 111 out of 172 frames in Sheffield, his adopted home, since April 8.
It is an incredible streak and the lack of nerves and cool temperament shown this past month by the 28-year-old has been outstanding.
Yet the reason he is not a professional player and technically an amateur is because until September 2024, he was serving a 20-month ban for being involved in a match-fixing sting.
In June 2023, ten Chinese players were booted off the baize for fixing multiple matches and betting breaches.
Xintong, a former top-10 player, did NOT fix a result himself but an independent commission found “he was a party to another player fixing two snooker matches”.
A 58-page Sport Resolutions report said “his involvement was limited to placing bets” for best pal Yan Bingtao, 25, on the outcome of two matches in March 2022, “whereby he became liable as a party to the two match fixes”.
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In a separate charge, Xintong was found to have “bet on snooker matches in breach of the rules” between September 2019 and December 2022.
Yet “following early admissions” and by showing “genuine remorse for his actions” a 30-month suspension was reduced to 20 months, the lightest ban of all the ten cueists.
Whatever your view on whether he should be here or not, Xintong – who hammered Ronnie O’Sullivan 17-7 in the semi-finals – earned his spot on merit, having passed every test.
This time last year, suspended Xintong was in Shanghai – unable to play competitive snooker – pushing his fluffball dog, a Pom-Shi, around in a pram in his homeland.
During his hiatus, the Cyclone divided his time between the UK and China, with the odd trip to Dubai – how all of that was paid for, given his unemployment status, goodness knows?
History was massively against Williams, who was 11-6 down, when he arrived at the Crucible for the last time this year.
An overnight deficit of four frames had been overturned on three occasions in a final, by Stephen Hendry (1992), Williams (2000) and Shaun Murphy (2005).
Yet five frames or greater had always proved too insurmountable to erase on the final day.
A confident start by Xintong in frame 18, thanks to a 46 break, meant he went 12-6 ahead.
There were genuine worries he might claim this with a session to spare – for the first time since Hendry battered Jimmy White in 1993.
Williams took frame 19 but then Xintong claimed the next three to lead 15-7.
The Welsh Potting Machine potted a 66 break in frame 23 to ensure there would be play in the evening but Xintong went into the 7pm session at 17-8 up, needing only one frame to become world champion.
Those who were paid up to £700 for VIP tickets thought they might see only one frame but were treated to four frames as Williams won the opening four, scoring a 101, 96 and 73, and threatened an incredible fightback.
But then Xintong scored a 87 in frame 30 to become the new Crucible King and youngest world champion in 20 years — and he barely celebrated the achievement.
Xintong – who lives a 10-minute walk from the venue – has won an astonishing 47 out of 49 matches since September 20.
His adventurous, attacking style and determination to take on long pots, to not get engaged in drawn-out safety battles, has been thrilling to watch.
From Williams’s perspective, to reach this point has been a significant accomplishment, especially as he has major eyesight issues.
He is contemplating whether to go ahead with lens replacement surgery that is booked for June 12 or ask for his money back due to his displays this past fortnight.
It does feel, however, like this is a changing of the guard moment and might usher in a new area of Chinese Revolution.
To some, especially millions in China, Xintong will be seen as the new Messiah of snooker.
To many others, they will simply view him as a Very Naughty Boy.