Zhao Xintong’s groundbreaking triumph at the World Snooker Championship is poised to elevate the sport further in China and has ignited forecasts that the nation may soon dominate the sport.
The 28-year-old left-handed player defeated Mark Williams at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre on Monday, becoming the first Asian to win snooker’s most prestigious title.
Zhao celebrated by wrapping the Chinese flag around himself. Upon his return home, he was praised as a national hero, and his victory went viral across social media in China.
“My phone hasn’t stopped ringing with calls from media and parents,” Zhang Dongtao, head coach at the Beijing-based World Snooker Academy — which has trained most of China’s stars, including Zhao — told AFP.
His 20-month suspension in 2023 for a minor role in a betting scandal, which also banned nine other Chinese snooker players, has largely been overlooked.
Historically, snooker in China was associated with dimly lit halls filled with smoke and regarded as a hobby for aimless individuals, disdained by parents who considered it a diversion from academics.
However, the sport has surged in popularity since Ding Junhui, at age 18, made a splash two decades ago by defeating Stephen Hendry to win the China Open. Numerous professional Chinese players, including Zhao, credit Ding as their inspiration for taking up the game.
There are currently ten Chinese players in the top 32 rankings globally, and China is reported to have over 300,000 snooker or billiards clubs, a significant increase from 34,000 in 2005, according to state media.
A market analysis by Shangqi Consulting estimated the value of China’s billiards market, which encompasses snooker, at 37 billion yuan ($5 billion) in 2023, with projections indicating it could double in the coming years.
