Latest news with #WorldSnooker
The Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
‘He invented naughty snooker' – Stephen Hendry hails most underrated rival who ‘should have won a lot more'
SNOOKER icon Stephen Hendry has revealed his pick for the most underrated player of all time. The seven-time world champion faced some of the greatest names in the sport during his career, which spanned over three decades. 2 But there is one player in particular that he feels did not get the recognition he deserved in his prime. The Scot has claimed that Jimmy White should be considered among the very best, despite losing six World Championship finals. Hendry beat the Wirlwind on four of those occasions, but was stunned by his natural ability. Speaking on the World Snooker Tour podcast, Hendry explained: "Everybody goes on about him being in six finals, and not winning one, but what a player he was. "People look at him now, a bit like myself, and he is a shadow of what he was. "He obviously still says he can win the world title, but deep down he knows he won't. "When you look back, what a player he was. He invented naughty snooker. "The way he played with his talent, and he has said it himself, with his off-table activities, with his talent he should have won a lot more." Despite not winning a world title on the regular tour, White has won four World Senior Snooker Championship titles. His latest victory came in 2023 when he beat Alfie Burden in the final. White lost to Burden, the eventual winner of the tournament, in the first round this year.
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Mark Williams shows off BEASTLY vehicle after landing £200k windfall in World Snooker Championship final
MARK WILLIAMS revealed his new 'beastly' car after the World Snooker Championship. Williams, 50, made it to the final at the Crucible where he lost to Zhao Xintong, who made history by becoming China's first ever world champion. 3 3 Despite his loss, the Welsh potting machine left Sheffield with a staggering £200,000 in prize money. And after that massive windfall the snooker star took to social media to unveil his new car that is near completion. The World No3 took to social media and showed some pics of his new ride, which was bought before the tournament. Williams added the following caption: "My beast is nearly ready." Snooker fans were left in awe of his new ride as they stormed the comments' section. A third wrote: "You could fit a snooker table in that, it's that big." This fan said: "Banger Mark." That one gushed: "That's f****** lovely Mark." And finally this snooker fan posted: "Dawg damn , that's some zombie apocalypse s*** right there."
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."
The Irish Sun
08-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Ronnie O'Sullivan offered major deal by Barry Hearn as sports icon looks beyond snooker
BARRY HEARN is keen to get behind Ronnie O'Sullivan's proposal for snooker academies across the UK. O'Sullivan, 49, revealed his potting masterplan during the World Snooker Championship for a series of clubs in the four Home Nations and Ireland. Advertisement 2 Ronnie O'Sullivan plans to build snooker academies across the UK 2 Promoter Barry Hearn is keen to back O'Sullivan's vision The Rocket reckons him and fellow Class of 92 graduates Mark Williams (Wales) and John Higgins and 1997 world champion Ken Doherty (Ireland) could use their names to front the academies. However, it needs serious funding, perhaps by government channels, and a long-term vision to help discover the next generation to rival the talented young Chinese cueists coming through. There are only two Brits under the age of 30 in the top 50 spots on the world rankings – Jackson Page (23) and Joe O'Connor (29) -- compared to 11 from China, which includes This was put to Hearn, who is a very wealthy man and the president of Matchroom Sport – who plays on Tuesday in the UK Open pool first round – who has embraced the idea. Advertisement Read More on Snooker Hearn, 76, said: 'We've got to work harder on that. We need more academies. 'But you need people that want to play and there's got to be a reason for that. 'I mean the youngsters now that watch 'There's a million people under-21 who are out of work. This is a potential disaster. We're losing the generation. Advertisement Most read in Snooker CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 'And sport can be a way of curing that. Snooker can help, I hope. But we need to do more. Definitely. 'So the exhibition of snooker that we are seeing here in Sheffield, maybe a kid goes, 'I'd like to have a go at that'. Ronnie O'Sullivan makes rare blunder in first break of World Snooker Championship semi-final 'The Class of 92 are still an unbelievable story. You think every 50-year-old should start playing snooker because that's the age to be. Advertisement 'But we need the Luke Littler effect in snooker without doubt. 'Ronnie likes his academies. He's got one in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and it's beautiful. They look after him extremely well. 'I don't think he'll get quite the same treatment if he launches a series of academies in England. 'But to use his name would be a very valuable asset in trying to promote grassroots. Advertisement 'And I think if he has really serious ideas, I would welcome a meeting between him and World Snooker. Hearn backs O'Sullivan 'It's all right having a plan. My whole life has been about plans in my head. You have to live them out. 'You can't just say something now. You've gotta do something. 'But if he is serious about it, I would 100 per cent welcome it and get beyond him solidly to launch a series of Advertisement O'Sullivan has seven world titles – a record he shares with Stephen Hendry – and provided he locates a proper cue at some point, having snapped his favourite one in January, he will aim to go for No8 in 2026. Time is running out, of course, for him to achieve that dream and yet he has been badly overlooked by the honours system for what he has done in the sport, given he has only received an OBE. Ronnie praise Hearn said: 'Ronnie O'Sullivan has been the best player in the world for many years. 'There's no question about that. And what he's doing this week is typical Ronnie O'Sullivan, defying all the odds and all logic. Advertisement 'Breaks his cue. Comes back. Tries three or four cues. I mean the boy is a total phenomenon. 'There's a case to say that he deserves to be picked out and to be knighted for services to snooker. 'I mean he's human. He has different parts of attitude that may not appeal to everybody. 'But for his sheer excellence, I think there's a very good case to be made. And I would welcome it.' Advertisement
South China Morning Post
07-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Why new world snooker champion Zhao Xintong cannot play in China
A curious footnote to Zhao Xintong's triumph at the World Snooker Championship on Monday is that he remains banned from playing in China. Advertisement He is forbidden to appear at events there, despite being free to compete in – and win – the world's biggest tournaments. The origins lie in 2023, when Zhao was among 10 Chinese players banned in the sport's biggest match-fixing scandal An investigation found he had not fixed matches, but he was handed a global suspension of 30 months , reduced to 20 months, after accepting he had been a party to another player fixing two matches, and had bet on matches himself. The Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association (CBSA) then announced domestic bans that for some players outlasted the global ones – equating to the original punishments before they were reduced for pleading guilty. Zhao was given a 30-month sanction in China. Zhao Xintong in action during the World Snooker Championship final on Monday. Photo: Xinhua Global chiefs cleared Zhao to resume playing at the end of his 20-month ban in September 2024, and he began competing on the Q Tour, the amateur circuit beneath the elite World Snooker Tour.
