Zhao Xintong, from spending 20 months suspended for a betting scheme to becoming a world snooker champion

Zhao Xintong was crowned world snooker champion on Monday, May 5. The Chinese player defeated three-time champion Mark Williams in the grand final to complete his redemption. Despite being a promising snooker player with titles under his belt, he fell into disgrace after becoming involved in a betting scheme that kept him out of the sport for almost two years.

The Snooker World Cup, held at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, the 'Cathedral' of the sport, brought together the vast majority of the world's greatest players, but few expected that an amateur player would end up reaching the top .

After winning the UK Championship in 2021 and the German Masters in 2022, Xintong established himself as one of the most promising players on the circuit, but in January 2023, he was given a 20-month ban by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association for a betting scheme .

However, he was acquitted of the match-fixing charge , which ruined the careers of other Chinese athletes, Liang Wenbo and Li Hang, who were banned for life.

After winning several minor titles as an amateur and looking set to regain her professional license next season , Zhao Xintong went to the World Cup eager to silence people.

It couldn't have gone any better for him, as he already holds a privileged place in snooker history, becoming the first Chinese world champion after having defeated legends of the sport during the tournament. In addition to Williams, Xintong eliminated Ronnie O'Sullivan (7 world championships) in a preliminary round.