Zhao Xintong is not only the champion of the New World Championships, but also the pioneer of the new era of Chinese snooker

Zhao Xintong defeated Welsh star Mark Williams with an aggregate score of 18-12 in the final of the 2025 World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, England local time on May 5, becoming the first player in China and even Asia to win the championship. Within minutes of becoming the World Snooker Champion, Zhao Xintong draped the Chinese flag and began to realize the great achievements he had achieved.

In the 2025 World Snooker Championships held in Sheffield, England, Chinese player Zhao Xintong won the championship.

Mark Williams called the 28-year-old a "superstar" after the game, and Jason Ferguson, president of the sport's governing body, the World Professional Billy & Snooker Association (WPBSA), said Zhao would take snooker to "another level". Ferguson told BBC Sport: "We're talking about a national hero – he's gone down in the history of the sport and in China he could be one of the brightest stars there." "Snooker is very popular in China. He is young, talented, interesting and speaks both English and Mandarin. This will take snooker to the next level. China loves heroes and winners. Some countries support the underdog, but in China, they are really celebrating the championship. He has what it takes to become the most popular sports star in China. ”

Since the World Snooker Championships were moved to Sheffield in 1977, the 28-year-old Zhao Xintong has become the third qualifier to win the World Championship after Terry Griffith and Shaun Murphy. In comparison, Zhao's achievement is even more remarkable as he was one of 10 Chinese players sanctioned for a match-fixing scandal earlier this season, only returning to action after a 20-month suspension.

However, Zhao continued his excellent form on the Q Tour Amateur Tour throughout the season and became the first player to qualify for the main draw through four qualifying matches before lifting the World Championship trophy at Snooker's most famous venue. After the final, Mark Williams said: "I'm glad I felt too old when he dominated the game. I have nothing but admiration for what he has done since he started in qualifying. He hadn't played in two years, but [this World Championships] beat everybody. The sport has a new superstar. "The impact on the sport could be huge. It may open the floodgates anywhere. He could dominate, or at least give Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson a competitor. It's like the emergence of a rising star in darts, Luke Littler. That's what snooker needs, and someone like him will step up. "It (Zhao Xintong's World Championships crown) will definitely open the door. It will be the front page of every news outlet. ”

Zhao Xintong's success has completed a double harvest for this country with a population of 1.4 billion and more than 300,000 snooker clubs. Bai Yulu is the first world champion from China after the 2024 WWS World Women's Snooker Championship, and she will try to defend her title in Dongguan, Guangdong Province this month.

Mei Zhao, who is covering the World Snooker Championships in Sheffield for the International Sports Press Association, said: "Zhao Xintong's victory is not only a personal victory, but also a historic breakthrough in Chinese snooker. I think he will be warmly welcomed when he returns to China, and this victory will definitely inspire the younger generation in China and promote the development of the national training system and structure. This has the potential to reshape the business landscape of the sport. He is not only a world champion, but also a pioneer of the new era of Chinese snooker. ”