Beaten finalist Mark Williams believes newly-crowned world champion Zhao Xintong could be snooker’s answer to the Luke Littler phenomenon.
Zhao took out the 2025 World Snooker Championship with an 18-12 victory over Williams on Monday to become the first Asian winner of the sport’s marquee tournament.
Zhao made all kinds of history with his World Snooker Championship victory
It was far from a straightforward victory for Zhao as Williams came back from 17-8 down to rattle off four consecutive frames.
However, Zhao showed plenty of composure as he stopped his rival’s momentum in the 30th frame to claim victory.
Although he was understandably frustrated not to have won, a gracious Williams believed the Chinese star’s triumph at the Crucible may be the necessary springboard to launch his career and give some of snooker’s heavyweights a serious challenge.
“To do what he’s done, he’s been out for two years, come back, pretty much won every game from the qualifying past everyone in the main tournament, is just an incredible achievement.
“I haven’t got enough nice words to say about him. He’s just brilliant to watch, pots for fun, makes breaks and good luck to him.
“I think he can earn a few quid out of this. I think everyone’s just got to get behind him and just watch him because he could dominate or at least give [Judd] Trump or Kyren [Wilson] a run for his money.
“I think this is what snooker needed, someone like him to come through. The way he plays is just effortless.”
Littler took darts by storm when he burst onto the scene by reaching the final of the 2024 World Championship aged just 16.
Now 18, Littler is the biggest attraction in the sport and went one better at the Alexandra Palace in January as he beat Michael van Gerwen in the final.
Littler’s success on the oche has seen him take home in excess of £1million, although that figure does not include his many endorsements and exhibition fees.
As for Zhao, his triumph at the Crucible has already seen him, as Williams said, ‘earn a few quid’ given the tournament winner would take home a cool £500,000.
Zhao’s victory completed a remarkable career turnaround given he was suspended for 20 months over his involvement in a match-fixing scandal.
Although Zhao never directly threw a match, he was charged with being a party to another player who fixed two matches while he also bet on matches himself.
As part of the suspension, the 28-year-old was booted off the professional circuit and subsequently relegated to amateur status but regained his spot via the Q Tour.
The 28-year-old has been backed to become a major star in snooker
Thanks to his win at the Crucible, Zhao will surge up the world rankings all the way to 11th when he returns to the professional tour.
Zhao’s triumph marked an historic occasion as he became the first amateur to win the World Championships since the tournament moved to the Crucible in 1977.
