Latest news with #CrucibleTheatre
Daily Mirror
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Zhao Xintong's reception on return to China says a lot after ban in home country
Zhao Xintong received a hero's welcome upon his arrival back in China after being crowned World Snooker Champion earlier this week, despite still being banned from playing in his homeland Newly-crowned World Snooker Champion Zhao Xintong was swarmed by adoring fans after returning to his homeland China on Thursday. Just three days after his emphatic 18-12 final victory over Mark Williams in Sheffield, the 28-year-old was greeted by cheers and celebratory signs upon landing at Shenzhen Bao'an Airport Swathes of people jostled to catch a glimpse or take a photo of the champion, which speaks volumes about the true scale of the support he has back in his home country. The euphoric scenes came after Zhao made history as the first amateur to become world champion, as well as the only Asian player to have clinched a title at the Crucible Theatre. Yet, despite his new-found hero status, regulations from the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association (CBSA) still prevent him from playing in front of his home supporters. In January 2023, Zhao received a ban due to his role in a match-fixing scandal that included nine other Chinese players. While the investigation cleared him of fixing matches himself, he admitted to being aware of another player rigging two games and also betting on matches. He originally received a 30-month ban from the World Snooker Tour which was later reduced to 20 months. However, the CBSA, which had issued its own 30-month ban, upheld its original decision, meaning Zhao is still unable to compete in China. "The Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association has now confirmed that their sanction only applies to mainland China and that Zhao Xintong is permitted to play in events outside of China from the end of his WPBSA suspension," their statement read. From July 1, 2025, Zhao will be able to compete in tournaments on home soil. He wasn't allowed to take part in this year's World Open at the Yushan Sport Centre, which was won by John Higgins. Following his Crucible triumph, the 2021 UK Championship winner has opened up about his struggles in dealing with his exile, even though it gave him more opportunities to hone his skills at the practice table. And despite the stance of the Chinese authorities, Xintong, who lives just a 10-minute walk from the Crucible, voiced his love for his homeland when arriving at the airport. Passing through a sea of adoring fans, he announced his aim of winning a Triple Crown and declared: "I'm home," before adding: 'This will always be my home."
South China Morning Post
07-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
China's snooker king Zhao Xintong on fame, Wang Chuqin and blowing prize money on watches
Zhao Xintong has said he was still coming to came to terms with the 'unimaginable' achievement of becoming world snooker champion, but that was not stopping him thinking about how to spend the £500,000 (HK$5.18 million) prize money. Advertisement China's newest sporting star claimed one of the game's grandest titles in Sheffield on Monday, beating Mark Williams 18-12 to become the first Asian player to win at the Crucible Theatre. An estimated 150 million people watched in mainland China as Zhao beat the three-time champion Williams, sparking a new wave of snooker fandom. Speaking to the Post on Tuesday, the 28-year-old said he had 'slowly begun to realise' the scale of his achievement. 'I've had lots of media attention, and lots of celebrities have congratulated me,' he said. Asked whether a month ago he could have imagined winning the tournament in the Yorkshire city where he lives and trains, Zhao said he 'didn't think about it, although I believed I was at that level'.
The Sun
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
World Seniors Snooker Championship 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Champ Figueiredo headlines day one, Jimmy White forced to wait
Live Blog SENIOR CITIZENS Emillia Hawkins , Sports Reporter Updated : 11:07, 7 May 2025 LEGENDS of the sport return to action at the Crucible Theatre TODAY as the World Seniors Snooker Championship is back for 2025! Reigning champion Igor Figueiredo begins his title defence with a tricky test against Wayne Townsend. Irish icon Ken Doherty has to wait until tomorrow for his opener against Charl Jonck. And English hero Jimmy White's first encounter is also on Thursday - with his opponent being the lucky Golden ticket. Start time: 12pm BST 12pm BST FREE live stream/TV: Channel 5 BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Follow ALL the action from the Crucible Theatre with our live blog below... From 12pm (All times BST) Joe Perry vs Fabio Anderson Luersen Dominic Dale vs Craig Steadman From 7pm Igor Figueiredo vs Wayne Townsend Aaron Canavan vs Andrew Norman Last year, Brazil's Igor Figueiredo made history by becoming the first player from outside of Europe to lift the prestigious World Seniors trophy. The 47-year-old beat Ken Doherty 5-2 in the blockbuster final and will return to the Crucible as defending champion this week. Hello and welcome to SunSport's coverage of the World Seniors Snooker Championship! With the World Snooker Championship having finished on Monday with Zhao Xintong taking the crown, we now move on to the Seniors compeition. At the Crucible, 16 players - including some legends of the sport - will compete for the title.
Independent Singapore
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Independent Singapore
Zhao Xintong makes history by becoming China's first snooker world champion
Zhao Xintong made history by becoming the first Chinese player to win the World Snooker Championship after defeating three-time champion Mark Williams of Wales at the Crucible Theatre. The 28-year-old secured the title with an 18-12 victory. With this, Zhao also became the first amateur to ever win the world title. The athlete expressed, ' I can't believe what I've done. It's very exciting… I was so nervous tonight. Mark is still a top player and put me under so much pressure. He's the best.' 'It's a very special moment for me, for Chinese snooker, for everyone,' he added. The win after his ban Zhao Xintong's win at the 2025 World Snooker Championship is a redemption story. The athlete received a 20-month ban back in 2023 for match-fixing, and because of this, he lost his rank as a professional and entered the tournament as an amateur. He started from the qualifiers and had won four impressive matches just to reach the final stage at the Crucible Theatre. He earned his spot in the final by defeating seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semi-finals. Having a nickname of 'the Cyclone', Zhao has now set the stage for the rise of a new snooker star. Zhao now joins Terry Griffiths and Shaun Murphy as the only qualifiers to win the World Snooker Championship. Highlights of the game Zhao remained calm and confident, smiling under pressure while Williams struggled with accuracy. This led Zhao to build a dominant 17-8 lead. Williams then fought back, narrowing the gap and raising the tension in the arena. Despite his opponent's comeback, Zhao closed the match in the fifth frame of the session, proudly securing his historic win. The finals were also historic, as 50-year-old Mark Williams became the oldest player ever to reach a World Snooker Championship final. Williams admitted, 'It's been a brilliant tournament for me… The support I've had for the past two weeks has been unbelievable.' The athlete added, 'But what a potter Zhao is. I'm glad I'll be too old when he's dominating the game. I've got nothing but admiration for what he's done, coming through the qualifiers. He hasn't played for two years, bashed everybody up. There's a new superstar of the game.' In a celebratory social media post, Zhao shared his triumph with a simple caption: '🏆🏆🏆' That was all it took to spark an outpouring of pride and excitement online. Comments poured in from fans across the region, hailing him as 'Asia's first ever champion of the world 🌍' and a true 'superstar' for China.
The Sun
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
World Seniors Snooker Championship prize money 2025: How much are the legends competing for at the Crucible
THE World Snooker Championship may have come to an end, but there is plenty more action to come at the Crucible. Some of the sport 's biggest legends are set to feature in the World Seniors this week. 1 Igor Figueiredo heads to the iconic Sheffield venue as defending champion after the Brazilian cueist made history at last year's tournament. He beat Ken Doherty 5-2 in the final to claim the title and become the first player from outside of Europe to win the Crucible crown. Doherty returns once again this year, alongside fellow snooker legend Jimmy White, as the Whirlwind looks to secure a record-extending fifth World Seniors trophy. When is World Seniors Snooker Championship 2025? The World Seniors Snooker Championship will begin on Wednesday, May 7. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, May 11. The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield will host. World Seniors Snooker Championship 2025 prize money The prize money for the 2025 edition of the World Snooker Championship will remain the same as last year. A huge £50,000 pot will once again be up for grabs at the Crucible. The winner of the iconic event will take home a whopping £20,000, while the runner-up will receive a cool £10,000. What TV channel is the World Seniors Snooker Championship 2025 and can it be live streamed? The World Seniors Snooker Championship will be broadcast live on Channel 5. You can live stream the event for FREE via the Channel 5 website/app. Alternatively, you can follow SunSport's live blog for frame-by-frame coverage of the World Seniors.
