Zhao Xintong told reality of World Snooker Championship win – 'Different financial universe'

Wales Online

09-05-2025

Zhao Xintong told reality of World Snooker Championship win – 'Different financial universe'
Zhao Xintong made history by becoming the first Asian player to win the World Snooker Championship, and a sports finance expert has predicted a very lucrative future for the potting sensation
Zhao Xintong's World Snooker Championship win banked him £500,000
(Image: Getty Images )
Crucible star Zhao Xintong has been forecast to secure multi-million pound endorsements following his historic triumph at the World Snooker Championship.
The Chinese cueist, who had served a 20-month ban due to involvement in a match-fixing scandal, arrived in Sheffield as an amateur but quickly dispelled any doubts about his calibre.
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At the age of just 28, Zhao stormed through the competition, dispatching opponents including Chris Wakelin and then delivering a stunning defeat to snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semi-finals.
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His final clash was against Mark Williams, where Zhao entered the concluding session with a commanding 17-8 lead. Despite a valiant effort from Williams, Zhao clinched the title with an 18-12 victory, earning £500,000 and becoming the first Asian world champion in the process. A sports finance expert has now indicated that this groundbreaking win could significantly enhance Zhao's financial prospects.
Professor Rob Wilson, a prominent sports finance expert, commented on the potential economic implications of Zhao's success via Ace Odds, and outlined a bright future for the 28-year-old.
"Winning the World Snooker Championship in itself will open the door to a completely different financial universe for Zhao Xintong," Wilson admitted.
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"The title itself comes with half a million pounds worth of prize money. That's immediate. The bigger opportunity, of course, for him will be endorsement, sponsorships, and the exhibition circuit, especially given his marketability in China.
"We know that the Chinese population are avid followers of snooker, and of course, it is a major competition that's followed over in the Far East.
Wilson believes Zhao will continue to profit from his Crucible victory
(Image: Getty Images )
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"We've seen players like Ding Junhui being able to tap into that domestic audience of essentially hundreds of millions. So if Zhao can leverage that sort of audience, you're looking at multi-million pound commercial deals across clothing, apparel, and equipment.
"They also do branded academies. There's one in Sheffield for Ding. Then, of course, there are media appearances, but with anything that I talk about in the context of sporting success, you know it's a big but.
"Whether he becomes the richest player of all time will depend on that sustained success that he will need over the next decade or so."
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Touching on Zhao's future prospects and what it takes to reach the pinnacle in terms of career prize money, Wilson compared the Chinese ace with some legends of the sport, including his semi-final opponent, The Rocket, reports the Express.
"One title simply isn't enough. He'll need to build that legacy over the next five to 10 years at least to give him a platform with consistent top-tier performances," continued Wilson.
"If he's able to do that, you could probably realistically expect him to surpass even players like Ronnie O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan is on £15-20million career earnings when you factor in both prize money and off the table income. So it's a huge opportunity for Zhao, the first step in what could be a seriously lucrative financial journey."