Stephen Hendry's telling rant as Zhao Xintong decides how to spend £500k prize

Daily Mirror

08-05-2025

World Snooker Championship winner Zhao Xintong may be tempted to spend some of his lucrative prize on luxury items, which is something Stephen Hendry has previously warned against
With Zhao Xintong pocketing £500,000 from his World Snooker Championship victory, he may wish to take advice from Stephen Hendry's rant on not losing focus.
China's star had an illustrious run to the Crucible final as an amateur, following a recent return after a 20-month suspension due to match-fixing offences that also saw nine of his compatriots suspended.
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In an emphatic display, Zhao dismantled veteran Mark Williams in the final, carving out his place in history as Asia's first world champion and snagging a handsome half a million pounds in prize money. Amid this financial windfall, Zhao's agent has committed to keeping the 28-year-old's feet on the ground. However, Zhao himself has now hinted at a potential splurge on luxury timepieces.
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Like past champions who've indulged in pricey purchases post-victory – including Luca Brecel's famed splashing out on swanky cars after his 2023 win – Zhao could be in line to follow suit, considering Hendry's sage words, which could resonate with him.
Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Zhao confessed he hadn't yet decided on how to spend his newfound wealth, though he mentioned: "But I do like watches, different brands, too."
Prior to this admission, his representative, Victoria Shi, spoke of allowing the snooker sensation to bask in the glow of his earnings while ensuring he doesn't get carried away by the prestige of his new title as world champion, reports the Express.
"Let him enjoy [the prize money]," she conceded. "But if he enjoys it too much, I will tell him off. He is the first Asian world champion, and that is huge. But it is my job to make sure he stays grounded."
One Crucible champ who arguably didn't keep his feet on the ground was Belgian Brecel. Following his triumph in Sheffield over Mark Selby two years ago, the 30-year-old experienced a severe slump in form, attracting criticism from Hendry, who cautioned about getting carried away with the allure of Crucible wealth, a lesson Zhao and his team might heed.
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"The way he [Brecel] won the World Championship, the undoubted talent that he's got, I realise he wasn't a prolific winner, but he's hardly won a match since he won the World Championship," the Scotsman commented last year.
"What I'm questioning is what he's doing with his career. Does he still want to play snooker? Is he putting the work in? You can say it's a tough sport, but you've got to give the game a bit of respect. Is snooker a priority in his life?"
Brecel himself spoke candidly about his decline in performance, admitting that his drive waned after clinching the title, which led him to indulge in luxury cars and extravagant vacations, not exactly the example Zhao intends to follow.
"I went from a millionaire to a non-millionaire," Brecel reflected on his lavish expenditures. "It was a conscious decision to buy the cars and maybe feel that bit of pressure again, to recreate the feeling I had of just starting my career.
"I didn't go lazy, but I just didn't feel that hunger or motivation going from tournament to tournament. I don't like that feeling, and I had to change something.
"I wasn't feeling any pressure anymore," he admitted. "I was just playing, and if I lost, I was happy to be home. It's not a good mindset to have."