22-04-2025
Controversial snooker star Zhao Xintong reveals he had major surgery during ban as he eyes World Championship crown
AMATEUR ace Zhao Xintong has set his sights on a controversial Crucible crown – thanks to eye surgery.
The day after three-time world champion potter
1
Zhao Xintong has revealed he has had a major eye surgery
Credit: Alamy
Xintong, 28, is third favourite for the title – at odds of 9-2 – behind
Yet the elephant in the room is the 20-month suspension he served after he was done for betting breaches in a
Xintong hit a 142 in frame five of
'But I kept practising and I had laser surgery because although I won the UK Championship and the German Masters, I could not see properly.
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'Now I can see everything and I think I'm stronger than I was two years ago.
'I'm very happy [that people say I can win it] but I will just try my best. I've played four qualifying matches so it gives me some confidence.'
Jones, 31, said: 'Xintong is a top-16 player who played the qualifiers and you could see it in his sharpness.
'He put me under so much pressure and he will be hard to stop.
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'I don't see anyone who's playing better than him. His long potting is good, his scoring is good, and he's good tactically.
'I don't see anyone better than him in this tournament.'
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Higgins breaks down
No.8 seed Mark Allen made round two for the 14th time in 19 appearances as he beat qualifier Fan Zhengyi 10-6, having been 3-0 behind.
The Pistol, who hit breaks of 105 and 102, now faces Chris Wakelin on Thursday afternoon.
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 - with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
1969 - John Spencer
1970 -
1971 - John Spencer
1972 - Alex Higgins
1973 - Ray Reardon (2)
1974 - Ray Reardon (3)
1975 - Ray Reardon (4)
1976 - Ray Reardon (5)
1977 - John Spencer (2)
1978 - Ray Reardon (6)
1979 - Terry Griffiths
1980 - Cliff Thorburn
1981 -
1982 - Alex Higgins (2)
1983 - Steve Davis (2)
1984 - Steve Davis (3)
1985 -
1986 - Joe Johnson
1987 - Steve Davis (4)
1988 - Steve Davis (5)
1989 - Steve Davis (6)
1990 -
1991 - John Parrott
1992 - Stephen Hendry (2)
1993 - Stephen Hendry (3)
1994 - Stephen Hendry (4)
1995 - Stephen Hendry (5)
1996 - Stephen Hendry (6)
1997 -
1998 -
1999 - Stephen Hendry (7)
2000 -
2001 -
2002 -
2003 - Mark Williams (2)
2004 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)
2005 - Shaun Murphy
2006 - Graeme Dott
2007 - John Higgins (2)
2008 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)
2009 - John Higgins (3)
2010 - Neil Robertson
2011 - John Higgins (4)
2012 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (4)
2013 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (5)
2014 -
2015 -
2016 - Mark Selby (2)
2017 - Mark Selby (3)
2018 - Mark Williams (3)
2019 -
2020 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (6)
2021 - Mark Selby (4)
2022 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (7)
2023 -
2024 -
Most World Titles
(modern era)
7 - Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan
6 - Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
4 - John Higgins, Mark Selby
3 - John Spencer, Mark Williams
2 - Alex Higgins
