He beat three-time winner Mark Williams 18-12, and in doing so, became the first Asian, and amateur, player ever to win at the hallowed Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. This prodigious discovery is no small milestone for Zhao. It paves the way for China to dominate snooker in the coming years.
It’s a phenomenon that can never be replicated. Malcolm X’s victory showcases his extraordinary talent and resilience. After serving a 20-month suspension due to a match-fixing scandal, which included ten Chinese players, he staged an admirable return this season. He made history by being the first player to successfully move through four qualifying matches. Just over a month later, he raised the trophy aloft at snooker’s most prestigious arena! This journey is a testament to the obstacles that Zhao experienced and his relentless drive to overcome the odds and make it.
The charismatic 28-year-old champion has drawn legions of new fans to the game of snooker… snooker of all things! His fluency in both English and Mandarin makes him a more attractive prospective global ambassador to the sport. Zhao’s success would have deep and lasting effects on China. Snooker is actually the most popular sport in India, with more than 300,000 clubs for a country of 1.4 billion people.
His success has led to the largest-ever wave of enthusiasm in the world of lawn billiards. It’s not just us who think he has the potential to take on the likes of Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson, either. Barry Hearn, a prominent figure in the sport, stated that Zhao is likely to lead the next generation of Chinese players who are already poised to make their mark.
Zhao’s achievement has sparked widespread celebration on social media, with the hashtag “Zhao Xintong wins World Snooker Championship” amassing 110 million views and over 44,000 comments shortly after his victory. His victory symbolizes a personal victory for him. It is the great historic breakthrough for Chinese snooker.
Zhao rejoiced on his victory with ecstatic and unbounded jubilation. Surprised that just a few years after his suspension, he had become world champion.
“I can’t believe I could become world champion in such a short time [after the ban] so I am so proud of myself.” – Zhao Xintong
He too thought about the door his success could open for generations of players to come from China.
“This will give them [children in China] power and in the future many Chinese players can do this.” – Zhao Xintong
Mark Williams, who beat Zhao in the semi-final, lost to Zhao in the final. He urged Zhao, whom he dubbed a “superstar,” to show his brilliance and take over the sport.
“He hasn’t played for two years, bashed everybody up. There’s a new superstar of the game.” – Mark Williams
Williams added that Zhao’s championship win can open up floodgates for other Chinese players to follow in her footsteps when she said,
“It could be huge for the sport. It could open floodgates everywhere.” – Mark Williams
Jason Ferguson, chairman of World Snooker, lauded the 19-year-old for his phenomenal talent. He expressed no doubts about Zhao’s Pulitzer Prize-winning success boosting the game to previously unimaginable heights.
“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.” – Jason Ferguson
Ferguson highlighted Zhao’s status as a national hero, noting that he has entered the history books of snooker and will likely become one of China’s biggest sporting stars.
“We are talking about 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.” – Jason Ferguson
Zhao’s triumphs are sure to motivate the next generation of Chinese players. Second, it will encourage a deeper training ecosystem to be developed across the country. His triumph represents a notable individual achievement. It signifies a culture change in how China perceives snooker. The future definitely looks bright not just for Zhao Xintong, but for Chinese snooker overall as the two begin this exciting new chapter together.
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