World snooker boss Jason Ferguson believes Zhao Xintong’s win at the World Championship in Sheffield will take snooker to a new level.
Zhao beat three-time champion Mark Williams 18-12 and became the first Asian player to win at the Crucible. He celebrated with the Chinese flag.
Ferguson called Zhao a “national hero” and said he will become one of the biggest sports stars in China.
“Snooker is very popular in China, and Zhao is young, skilled, fun to watch, and speaks both English and Mandarin,” Ferguson told the BBC.
He said China really celebrates champions, and Zhao could become the country’s most famous athlete.
Zhao is only the third player to win the World Championship as a qualifier since it moved to Sheffield in 1977.
He recently returned to the sport after a 20-month ban for being involved in a betting scandal in 2023.
China now has both the men’s and women’s snooker world champions, after Bai Yulu won the 2024 Women’s title.
Mark Williams, who lost to Zhao, said this win could be a big moment for snooker and help the sport grow worldwide.
“We have a new star. Snooker needed someone like him,” he said. “He will be a great champion. He might be the best at potting balls I’ve ever seen. I really admire him.”
“He’s beaten everyone, including Ronnie O’Sullivan and me. He might even challenge top players like Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson.”
This year, a record 10 Chinese players played in the main snooker tournament at the Crucible, showing how strong China is becoming in the sport.
On Chinese social media site Weibo, the topic “Zhao Xintong wins world championship” had 120 million views by Tuesday morning and was one of the most popular stories.
Ding Junhui, China’s first snooker star and runner-up in 2016, praised Zhao’s win.
“Today, Zhao Xintong did it! He achieved the dream of many Chinese snooker players,” Ding wrote. “I’m happy for him and proud of China’s growing strength.”
