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Wales Online
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Zhao Xintong advises snooker stars to do complete opposite of Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump
Zhao Xintong advises snooker stars to do complete opposite of Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump Zhao Xintong became the first Asian player to win the World Snooker Championship with his 18-12 victory over Mark Williams last week - and has now urged players to move to the UK Zhao Xintong is the current World Snooker champion (Image:) Zhao Xintong has encouraged young snooker talents in Hong Kong to consider relocating to the UK. The champion himself made a similar move from Shenzhen to Sheffield during his teenage years, and believes it could be beneficial for other rising stars. This viewpoint contrasts with that of former world champions Judd Trump and Ronnie O'Sullivan, both of whom have expressed interest in establishing their main residences outside the UK. Zhao recently made history as the first Asian player to win the World Snooker Championship. Following his 18-12 victory over Mark Williams, Zhao secured the third ranking title of his career. The 28-year-old also triumphed over snooker legend O'Sullivan in the semi-finals. However, Zhao's opinion on the ideal location for top players differs from that of the seven-time world champion, who was granted residency in Hong Kong last year. Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Zhao said: "I feel that in the UK, the level of training is better because the players here are more skilled and it helps to raise your standard. "On the mainland, for example, the level isn't that high, and the level of competition is also not that high, so your motivation won't be as strong. If you really want to play professionally, it's definitely better to train in the UK." Article continues below Zhao Xintong has urged snooker talents to live in the UK (Image:) When asked what advice he would give to aspiring snooker players, Zhao added: "Focus on your training and believe in yourself. If you have the opportunity, going to the UK is obviously the best." The Chinese snooker star sharpened his skills at Victoria's Snooker Academy, which wasn't far from the Crucible where he claimed his title. He is among several Chinese stars calling Sheffield home, unlike some fellow talented players. The Hong Kong Sports Institute serves as a hub for many of its talent, with 24 top-level players receiving a monthly stipend from £1,200 (HK$12,480) to £5,200 (HK$54,150), depending on how well they perform. O'Sullivan, on the other hand, is at the opposite end of his career to China and Hong Kong's fledgling stars and is taking the opposite approach to the advice dished out by Zhao. Last year saw the 49-year-old embrace Hong Kong residency, given his extensive business engagements across Asia. Ronnie O'Sullivan is splitting his time between two countries (Image:) "I probably do about 70 per cent of my work in China and Asia now, so I have to make a life here, I have to make a home," he told TNT Sports, recognising the need for comfort when staying abroad. He added: "Obviously snooker is very popular here as well. Obviously, like myself, someone travelling from another country, the tax is also a good thing. But your food, your culture, it's a great place to live, a great place to be. If you want to live a life, a good life, you should come to Hong Kong." O'Sullivan had indicated plans for a dual-residence setup during the world championship, revealing ambitions to establish his base in the Middle East in the near term. "I think I am going to be moving out of the UK this year," he said. "I'll be moving away to the Middle East. We'll see how it goes - I might be back in six months. A new life somewhere else. I don't know how that is going to pan out." Judd Trump is also relocating out of the UK (Image: Tai Chengzhe/VCG via Getty Images ) Like O'Sullivan, former world champion Trump has taken a similar stance on relocation, albeit with differing views from Zhao on the best place for snooker's elite. Trump is planning a split residence between Hong Kong and Dubai. In January 2025, it was announced that the snooker ace intended to settle down in Hong Kong with his partner Maisy Ma, who works as a TV presenter and is an ex-figure skater. Additionally, Trump spends the bulk of his time living in Dubai, where he has already established residency. Commenting on his fondness for Hong Kong, Trump said: "Everything really. The food, the environment, the buildings, everything there is so special. In the middle of everything it is the hustle and bustle, then you drive 15 minutes and you have the beaches, you have the weather. It is such a nice place." Speaking about his dual residency situation with the Metro, Trump added: "My main base will be in Dubai, but my girlfriend lives in Hong Kong. I have residence in both Dubai and Hong Kong, so I'll be split between them depending on where the tournaments are. Article continues below "It's very different, completely different from what I'm used to. I'm used to my old life of just going to practice and then sitting at home all night, every day. "I wouldn't have expected this, but my life has really changed for the better. I am able to enjoy myself a bit more off the table. It is nice to be living in a warmer climate and being able to experience that and the different cultures. I am in a good place off the table, and that is why I have been consistent over the past five or six years."
Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Zhao Xintong disagrees with Judd Trump and Ronnie O'Sullivan's life decision
World Snooker Championship winner Zhao Xintong has advised young snooker players to move to the UK, despite the likes of Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump basing themselves away from Britain Zhao Xintong has encouraged budding snooker talents in Hong Kong to consider relocating to the UK. The reigning World Snooker champion made the move from Shenzhen to Sheffield during his teenage years, and believes that similar steps could be beneficial for other rising stars. This viewpoint contrasts with that of former world champions Judd Trump and Ronnie O'Sullivan, who have both expressed interest in setting up bases outside the UK. Zhao made history last week by becoming the first Asian player to clinch the World Snooker Championship, defeating Mark Williams 18-12 and securing the third ranking title of his career. The 28-year-old also triumphed over snooker legend O'Sullivan in the semi-finals. However, Zhao's opinion on the ideal location for top players differs from that of the seven-time world champion, who was granted residency in Hong Kong last year. Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Zhao said: "I feel that in the UK, the level of training is better because the players here are more skilled and it helps to raise your standard. "On the mainland, for example, the level isn't that high, and the level of competition is also not that high, so your motivation won't be as strong. If you really want to play professionally, it's definitely better to train in the UK." When asked what advice he would give to aspiring snooker players, Zhao added: "Focus on your training and believe in yourself. If you have the opportunity, going to the UK is obviously the best." Zhao perfected his skills at Victoria's Snooker Academy in Sheffield, which is just around the corner from the Crucible, where he would go on to win the World Snooker Championship. He is not alone in choosing the UK as his base. Several other Chinese players also call Sheffield home, straying from the trend of many of their fellow snooker stars who prefer to train at the Hong Kong Sports Institute. The institute provides a monthly allowance of between £1,200 and £5,200 to its 24 elite players, based on their performance. However, seven-time world champion O'Sullivan has taken a different path, having been granted residency in Hong Kong last year. He revealed that the majority of his work commitments are now in Asia, prompting him to make the city his home. "I probably do about 70 per cent of my work in China and Asia now, so I have to make a life here, I have to make a home," O'Sullivan told TNT Sports. He added: "Obviously snooker is very popular here as well. Obviously, like myself, someone travelling from another country, the tax is also a good thing. But your food, your culture, it's a great place to live, a great place to be. If you want to live a life, a good life, you should come to Hong Kong." However, O'Sullivan has since announced plans to relocate to the Middle East, suggesting he will be splitting his time between his new home and Hong Kong. "I think I am going to be moving out of the UK this year," he confessed. "I'll be moving away to the Middle East. We'll see how it goes - I might be back in six months. A new life somewhere else. I don't know how that is going to pan out." Trump has his sights set on a different scene, unlike O'Sullivan and Zhao, as he opts to split his time between Hong Kong and Dubai. It was revealed in January that Trump plans to set up one residence in Hong Kong with his partner Maisy Ma, a TV host and ex-figure skater. Trump was very complimentary, as he said: "Everything really. The food, the environment, the buildings, everything there is so special. In the middle of everything it is the hustle and bustle, then you drive 15 minutes and you have the beaches, you have the weather. It is such a nice place." Additionally, Trump enjoys staying in Dubai, which is where he claims he will be based most of the time. The snooker star previously said: "My main base will be in Dubai, but my girlfriend lives in Hong Kong. "I have residence in both Dubai and Hong Kong, so I'll be split between them depending on where the tournaments are. "It's very different, completely different from what I'm used to. I'm used to my old life of just going to practice and then sitting at home all night, every day. "I wouldn't have expected this, but my life has really changed for the better. I am able to enjoy myself a bit more off the table. It is nice to be living in a warmer climate and being able to experience that and the different cultures. I am in a good place off the table, and that is why I have been consistent over the past five or six years."
Wales Online
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Zhao Xintong told Ronnie O'Sullivan and Co are nothing like him by flabbergasted snooker star
Zhao Xintong told Ronnie O'Sullivan and Co are nothing like him by flabbergasted snooker star Zhao Xintong has been showered with praise after becoming snooker's first Asian world champion, with one of his opponents in Sheffield among those to laud his abilities Zhao Xintong has been told exactly where he reigns supreme among snooker's elite (Image: Getty Images ) Zhao Xintong has been picked out for special praise by Elliot Slessor, who has outlined exactly where the new snooker world champion stands clear of the competition. And Slessor, 30, has earned the right to comment after he posed the greatest challenge to Zhao during the 2025 World Snooker Championship. Zhao, 28, made history as the first Asian person to be crowned world champion at the Crucible. That's after he impressively outplayed his mentor and snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan with a 17-7 victory in the semi-finals. He followed up with an equally commanding 18-12 win against Mark Williams to claim the title. However, it was during the final qualifier at the English Institute of Sport, referred to as Judgement Day, that Slessor pushed the new world champion close in a 10-8 defeat. Having offered Zhao what may have been his sternest test of the competition, Slessor took to social media to express his admiration of the player. And it's the Chinese ace's cutthroat nature in putting away chances that gives Zhao a distinct edge over his peers. "I said it then and will say it again," wrote Slessor on X. "I've played them all [and] nobody pots balls like this kid. "The consistency in the long game and to make tough shots look easy is staggering. Congratulations to Xintong and Victoria's Snooker Academy. Incredible stuff." Article continues below Neither Ronnie O'Sullivan nor Judd Trump can stack up against the new world champion, according to Slessor (Image: VCG, VCG via Getty Images ) That vicious mentality was on full display against Gwent's own Williams in the Crucible decider. The Welsh Potting Machine was guilty of leaving glaring opportunities unpotted from a multitude of positions, but Zhao proved far more clinical, even in the most challenging circumstances. Although Judd Trump entered the tournament as the bookies' choice to take home the trophy, his campaign ended in the semis thanks to Williams. That's despite Trump setting a new record for centuries in a season and demonstrating conquering form in the earlier phases of the tournament. Slessor did not manage to secure a spot in the main draw but faced formidable opponents nonetheless. Speaking about his match with Zhao, he was candid about his disappointment yet continued to heap admiration on the victorious challenger. "I wanted to win," he replied to one fan, accompanied by a crying-with-laughter emoji. "But the boy is very special every credit to him congratulations." Slessor pushed Zhao close in qualifying for the 2025 World Snooker Championship (Image: Getty ) Article continues below Zhao entered the competition as an amateur due to his 20-month ban for betting-related activities. He had been sanctioned following an extensive WPBSA probe into corruption that led to the suspension or banning of 10 Chinese players in total. Specifically, Zhao was implicated for "being party to another player fixing two matches" and placing bets on games himself. However, his 20-month suspension was the most lenient handed out by the sport's authorities, reports the Daily Express. After his return to the sport, many aficionados are enthusiastic about witnessing one of snooker's most promising talents compete again following his punishment. Six-time world champion Steve Davis labelled Zhao's infraction "a stain on his CV" but affirmed the snooker star "deserves a second chance."
CNA
06-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Who is Zhao Xintong, the Chinese world champion hailed as snooker's 'new superstar'?
PICKING UP THE CUE AT 8 Zhao was born in the Chinese city of Xian, but as a child moved to the metropolis of Shenzhen, just over the border from Hong Kong, when his parents went there for work. An only child, he first became interested in snooker when he was eight years old, after seeing some tables set up outside small stores near his home. As his interest grew, his parents put a snooker table in one of the rooms in their home and made it his practice room. However, they were sceptical about his sporting ambitions and wanted him to study. In 2015, a teenage Zhao told a documentary that he wanted to be like Chinese snooker trailblazer Ding Junhui. Ding, the so-called grandfather of Chinese snooker, won the UK Championship three times and the Masters in 2011. In the 2015 documentary, called "Becoming Ding Junhui", Zhao's mother recalls: "I asked him, when you've finished university, what job will you do? "He said, 'Play snooker'. He said it very firmly, he didn't need to think about it." She said that was the moment she decided to fully support his decision to make snooker his life. Acknowledging the support from his parents, Zhao said: "I'm the luckiest kid in the snooker world." The same programme includes a ringing endorsement from Ding's father, calling Zhao his "favourite" player and a "rare" talent. SNOOKER'S ROGER FEDERER By his teens, Zhao was beating professionals in exhibition matches, Williams among them. The left-hander followed the trail of Chinese players to Sheffield, where he plays at Victoria's Snooker Academy, run by Victoria Shi, a 10-minute walk from the Crucible. Realising Zhao's enormous potential, Shi asked snooker great Ronnie O'Sullivan to lend a hand in mentoring him. The Englishman obliged, practising and dining with Zhao, passing on tips. 'He could be the greatest of all time with his talent, his ability – I always say he's Roger Federer with a snooker cue in his hands,' O'Sullivan said in 2022, as reported by the South China Morning Post. SUSPENSION Nicknamed the "Cyclone", Zhao's outrageous shot-making and calm demeanour marked him out as a future world champion. In 2021, his victory in the UK Championship suggested that day was not far off. However, in 2023, he was one of 10 Chinese players suspended during a corruption investigation over match-fixing. While Zhao was the only one among the players who did not fix matches, he admitted to being a party to another player doing so, and placing bets. He was suspended for 20 months. 'I have been thoroughly regretting my ignorance and silliness since being suspended a few months ago,' he said on social media. 'I feel ashamed as I disappointed everybody by making a mistake. I just want to say sorry to everyone. 'I didn't make any profit from it, but I paid a heavy price for my foolishness.' COMEBACK Zhao's road to redemption was a gruelling one. After completing his suspension last September, he had to start from the bottom. He returned to playing on the Q Tour, the amateur circuit, and won almost every match, quickly ensuring his return to the pro ranks next season. Due to the suspension, Zhao was required to enter the world championship at the preliminary stage, but he got through four qualifying rounds to join a record 10 Chinese players in the 32-strong competition. By the semi-finals, he was the only Chinese contender left standing. The 28-year-old beat his idol and mentor O'Sullivan 17-7 to reach the final, where he triumphed 18-12 over Williams, who was bidding to become snooker's oldest world champion aged 50. His win made him the youngest world champion since Shaun Murphy, who won at the age of 22 in 2005. "There's a new superstar of the game,' Williams said. 'He just strolls around the table and pots balls from anywhere as if he doesn't have a care in the world.' Millions of Chinese fans were said to have tuned into the final to witness Zhao's coronation. He will start next season at number 11 in the world rankings. "You see the quality of Zhao Xintong, it's the future and the shape of things to come," said six-time world champion Steve Davis.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Snooker star Zhao: from ban to Chinese sporting history
In 2015 a teenage Zhao Xintong told a documentary he wanted to be like Chinese snooker trailblazer Ding Junhui. But now 28, Zhao has surpassed his compatriot's notable achievements by becoming China's first world snooker champion in stunning style on Monday. Zhao defeated three-time world champion Mark Williams 18-12 in the final to clinch the title at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre on Monday. The left-hander's unexpected triumph is the culmination of a redemption story that ensures him a place in Chinese sporting history. Zhao's journey from first picking up a cue aged eight to glory in his maiden appearance in the World Snooker Championship final has not been without controversy. The 2021 UK Championship winner was playing at the Crucible as an amateur as he continued his comeback from a 20-month ban for his involvement in a major betting scandal. Chinese players in recent years have become a significant force in snooker, but in 2023, 10 players from the country were banned in a match-fixing case that shook the sport to its foundations. Two players, Liang Wenbo and Li Hang, were banned for life. Zhao's suspension was the shortest, reflecting the fact that while he bet on matches, he did not throw them. - Away from home - Like many of the Chinese players now making a name for themselves, Zhao has made the northern English city of Sheffield his base. Zhao is with the Chinese-run Victoria's Snooker Academy, a two-floor facility just 10 minutes by foot from the Crucible. Not far away there is also the Ding Junhui Snooker Academy. A record 10 Chinese were among the final 32 players competing at the Crucible, reflecting just how prominent the country now is in the sport. For many of them, including Zhao, it all comes back to Ding, China's first snooker star. "My goal when I was younger was to become someone like Ding Junhui," a 17-year-old Zhao told a Chinese documentary in 2015 called, "Becoming Ding Junhui". The so-called grandfather of Chinese snooker won the UK Championship three times and the Masters in 2011. Ding lost the world championship final against Mark Selby in 2016. - 'Luckiest kid in the world' - Zhao was born in the tourist city of Xian but as a child moved to the metropolis of Shenzhen, just over the border from Hong Kong, when his parents went there for work. An only child, Zhao's father Zhao Xiaowei is the vice-president of a hospital and his mother, Wen Anxiao, is a nurse in the same hospital. Zhao first became interested in snooker because of some tables set up outside small stores near his home. As his interest grew, his parents put a snooker table in one of the rooms in their home and made it his practice room. Even then, as is typical for many Chinese parents, they were sceptical about his sporting ambitions and wanted him to study. In the documentary, Zhao's mother recalls: "I asked him, when you've finished university what job will you do? "He said, 'Play snooker'. He said it very firmly, he didn't need to think about it." She says that was the moment she decided to fully support his decision to make snooker his life. Acknowledging that support from his parents, Zhao said: "I'm the luckiest kid in the snooker world." The same programme includes a ringing endorsement from Ding's father, calling Zhao his "favourite" player and a "rare" talent. "There's no problem with this child's character," he says. Seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan is another big fan of Zhao, even after suffering a crushing 17-7 semi-final defeat to him in Sheffield last week. The two have been known to practise and dine together, and they shared a warm embrace in the dressing rooms after Zhao's devastating display. Away from snooker and as his fame grows, Zhao's personal life has attracted scrutiny in China. Several years ago, photos emerged of him with a Chinese student he met in Britain in which he appeared to show off his family's supposed wealth. One picture showed Zhao sitting in the boot of a Rolls Royce. After Monday's stunning success, Zhao has the riches of the snooker world at his feet. sam-pst-smg/iwd
