3 days ago
‘So unpredictable' – Snooker fans baffled as ‘one of more confusing players on the tour' knocks in staggering 147 break
CHINESE snooker star Fan Zhengyi scored the first maximum break of the new 2025 season - after a disappointing year.
The world No.48 shocked fans when he hit an incredible 147 at the Championship League in Leicester on Thursday.
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Fan became only the 38th player in the modern history of the sport to compile multiple maximums, scoring his first at the English Open in 2024.
The perfect break came in the second frame of the match which finished 2-2.
The highlight of the 147 was a tough cutback yellow to a blind pocket on 120, as he hit the white off three cushions to come back for the green in baulk.
David Hendon on commentary said: "First of the season, but we know with the quality of players, it won't be the last. Fantastic from Fan Zhengyi."
But his opponent Xu did not let Fan's effort get to him, as he recovered from 2-0 behind to earn a 2-2 draw in finishing the day unbeaten.
However, supporters couldn't believe Fan's achievement after the disappointing year he's had, failing to make it past the last-32 of any competition.
One posted on X: "Fan is one of the more confusing players on tour. Looks unbelievable sometimes but really unpredictable.
"He's not won a match yet this season, but made a 147. Also lost a frame to Highfield who needed 3 snookers. Tough to predict."
While another added: " Definitely in the top-10 of most confusing players!"
It was the 218th 147 in professional snooker history and first of the 2025/26 season.
But Fan, who has won just three matches this calendar year, was dumped out of the competition with a haul of just two points.
Xu Si instead topped Group 29 with a record of two wins and a draw, beating Michal Szubarczyk and Liam Highfield before securing a tie with Fan to safeguard his spot in the last 32.
The Championship League runs between June 30 and July 23, with 32 groups of four producing 32 winners, who are then split into eight groups of four.
Two final groups of four will determine who contests the final on July 23, with the winner earning £33,000 and a place in the Champion of Champions event in Leicester in November.
Ronnie O'Sullivan, who Fan defeated 10-9 in the 2022 European Masters final, remains the most prolific maximum maker of all time with 15.
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.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
1969 - John Spencer
1970 - Ray Reardon
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 - Steve Davis
1982 - Alex Higgins (2)
1983 - Steve Davis (2)
1984 - Steve Davis (3)
1985 - Dennis Taylor
1986 - Joe Johnson
1987 - Steve Davis (4)
1988 - Steve Davis (5)
1989 - Steve Davis (6)
1990 - Stephen Hendry
1991 - John Parrott
1992 - Stephen Hendry (2)
1993 - Stephen Hendry (3)
1994 - Stephen Hendry (4)
1995 - Stephen Hendry (5)
1996 - Stephen Hendry (6)
1997 - Ken Doherty
1998 - John Higgins
1999 - Stephen Hendry (7)
2000 - Mark Williams
2001 - Ronnie O'Sullivan
2002 - Peter Ebdon
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 - Mark Selby
2015 - Stuart Bingham
2016 - Mark Selby (2)
2017 - Mark Selby (3)
2018 - Mark Williams (3)
2019 - Judd Trump
2020 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (6)
2021 - Mark Selby (4)
2022 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (7)
2023 - Luca Brecel
2024 - Kyren Wilson
2025 - Zhao Xintong
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
