Zhao Xintong will have the opportunity to secure a £100,000 payday as he looks to build on his World Snooker Championship triumph. Earlier this month, he became the first Asian player to secure Crucible glory with victory over Mark Williams in the final. Zhao was rewarded with the iconic trophy in addition to a whopping £500,000 in prize money.
He was not the only player to secure a massive financial boost, with Judd Trump also raking in a hefty chunk. The man from Bristol made his 100th century break of the season during his second-round win over Shaun Murphy. It saw him land the £100,000 sum laid on for any player who makes a century of centuries in a single campaign.
Trump is one of only two players to have passed the 100-century milestone in the space of one season. He previously did so in the 2019/20 campaign, when he landed 102 centuries, while Neil Robertson managed a whopping 103 in 2013/14.
Zhao, meanwhile, will be hoping to join that exclusive club next season. He made a total of 18 century breaks at the World Snooker Championship, including the qualifying rounds and main draw, equalling the record set by Ding Jinhui in 2016.
He will want to play as many tournaments as possible next season, having returned from a lengthy ban shortly before heading to the Crucible. Two years ago, he received a suspension lasting 20 months for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal.
Since returning to the table, Zhao has shown that he could easily be a contender for the £100,000 bonus. Only time will tell if he can send a firm warning to Trump by matching his incredible achievement in the 2025/26 campaign.
