Zhao Xintong became China's first snooker world champion on a key night for the sport in Sheffield, and rival Mark Williams believes there is no limit to the new Crucible king's quest for perfection.
Williams, a member of the legendary Class of '92, drew comparisons to a young Ronnie O'Sullivan after Zhao survived a tense battle with the experienced Welshman to secure a landmark 18-12 victory.
Williams said: “He (Zhao) is as much a joy to watch as O'Sullivan was in his younger days. He just walks around the table and pots balls from anywhere as if nothing was bothering him.”
“Xintong will now become a national hero. He will be on the front pages of all the news outlets, and I am sure that Chinese companies will be willing to pay billions for him.”
“It's great for our sport to have such a young and aggressive athlete at the top.”
Resuming the final session just one frame short of victory at 17-8, Zhao remained calm as Williams, the oldest Crucible finalist at 50, won four frames in a row to force a break midway through the session.
The 28-year-old Xi'an native responded with a powerful break of 87 and then celebrated his victory by wrapping himself in the Chinese flag.
“It’s like a dream – I can’t believe it,” said Zhao, who became only the third player to qualify and the first amateur to win at the Crucible after losing his tour card in January 2023 due to his involvement in a match-fixing scandal.
Zhao admitted to being involved in attempts to fix two matches involving his compatriot Yan Bingtao, a former Masters winner, and despite frequently expressing remorse for his involvement, some may feel his triumph has been marred.
“There was a lot of pressure on me and I was a little nervous because I knew I couldn't make a mistake,” Zhao added. “I knew he could come back quickly, so I had to focus and be very careful.”
Referring to his 20-month disqualification, which expired in
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
