Chinese star Zhao Xintong’s tilt at snooker history appears to have rankled a number of his peers.
Only Mark Williams can prevent Zhao from becoming the first amateur player to win the World Snooker Championship as the pair face off in the final.
Zhao holds an 11-6 lead over Williams, the oldest Crucible finalist, after the opening session on Sunday.
Should Zhao emerge victorious, he will catapult into the top 16 in the world rankings.
Not only that, the 28-year-old could win as much as £500,000.
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 BBC snooker pundit 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.
“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 he was slapped with a 20-month suspension for match-fixing.
The Chinese star never directly threw a match.
However, he 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 booted off the professional circuit.
Williams is the only thing standing in Zhao’s way from winning his first world titleGettyBut 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.
“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.
Zhao’s run at the Crucible comes after he was suspended for match fixingGetty“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.”
Should Zhao hold on to his lead, he will become the first Chinese player to become world champion and just the third from outside the United Kingdom to do since 1997.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Snooker stars ‘up in arms’ as Zhao Xintong hit with fresh controversy )
Also on site :
- Genoa vs. AC Milan - prediction, free online live stream , lineups
- Girona vs. Mallorca - prediction, lineups and live stream Info.
- Crystal Palace vs. Nottingham Forest - prediction, live broadcast , lineups