Zhao Xintong has won the World Snooker Championship with an historic victory against Mark Williams.
Chinese star Zhao beat his three-time world champion opponent 18-12 to become the first ever Asian winner in snooker’s prestiged tournament at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.
Zhao has made history in his World Championship winGettyThe 28-year-old Chinese star is also the first amateur champion of the tournament and just the third from outside the UK to win since 1997.
Williams wasn’t the only scalp Zhao claimed en route to victory having shocked seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan in the semi-finals with a 17-7 thumping.
And Zhao was much too good for Williams, who admitted himself that he couldn’t live with the 28-year-old’s level.
Williams tweeted after Monday’s afternoon session, before Zhao’s victory was confirmed in the evening: “Oh well, that was tough.
“I’ve not got enough cue power to combat tough conditions like Zhao. His cue power is superb.
“Probably the best potter I’ve ever seen.”
Zhao pockets a cool £500,000 for his victory, while he will catapult into the top 16 in the world rankings.
However, the fact Zhao’s potential earnings as an amateur will go towards his ranking has some of his rivals ‘up in arms’, according to 1997 world champion Ken Doherty.
“The big question at this point is about the prize money,” Doherty said.
“A lot of players are a bit up in arms about it.
Williams was gracious in defeat before Zhao’s win was confirmedAFP“The rules might have been changed, if he wins the Championship he keeps the prize money, when it should be going to scratch when he picks up his tour card.”
Zhao was relegated to amateur status after being slapped with a 20-match suspension for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal.
He never directly threw a match, however, Zhao was charged with being a party to another player who fixed two matches as well as betting on matches himself.
As a result of the suspension, Zhao was kicked off the professional circuit.
But the former world No. 7 managed to regain his spot via the Q Tour.
Speaking on the BBC’s coverage, World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) Jason Ferguson defended the fact Zhao would keep his ranking points given he earned his way back onto the tour following his suspension.
Zhao beat O’Sullivan en route to gloryGetty“It’s important to talk about and he has served his time and he has paid his fine and actually he has followed a route of trying to work his way back in,” Ferguson said.
“I think people will always refer to it but when you’re young you might get pulled into things.
“But there is a route back and there is a route to return.
“From our point of view, he has done the right thing from day one and is welcomed back into the sport and will be a professional player against at the end of this World Championship.”
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