Zhao Xintong, who was previously banned from snooker due to his involvement in a notorious match-fixing scandal, has triumphed once again by winning another tournament and achieving a 147 break.
Last year, the Chinese ace was among ten players who received bans for their roles in the scandal. However, as Zhao wasn’t found to have directly thrown any matches himself, he received a comparatively lighter punishment of a 20-month ban.
Other players involved in the scandal, including Liang Wenbo and Li Hang, were permanently expelled from the sport, while Lu Ning, Yan Bingtao, Chen Zifan, Zhang Jiankang, Bai Langning, Zhao Jianbo and Chang Bingyu also faced penalties.
Despite this setback, the 2021 UK Championship winner quickly bounced back, securing his first victory since his return at a WPBSA Q Tour event in Stockholm last month.
Although not the most prestigious platform, the Q Tour offers players the opportunity to earn World Snooker Tour cards, with the top two qualifiers gaining entry onto the professional circuit. The talented 27-year-old has further improved his prospects with yet another Q Tour victory, reports the Express.
(Image: PA)
China’s snooker sensation Zhao Xintong has bagged his second WPBSA Q Tour Europe title in a row at Club 200 in Manchester, soaring to the leaderboard’s peak after four events.
In a nail-biter against Ryan Davies, Zhao notched up another win, slamming in a maximum along the way to snatch the trophy. The champ pulled off back-to-back tournament wins, having knocked in a groundbreaking 147 in Stockholm — a first-ever in the event’s history.
With just three more showdowns this season, Zhao’s blasted to the top of the charts and looks set to snag his pro status back. In typical quirky style, Zhao celebrated his win on Instagram with a snap of him clutching the Q Tour prize and quipped: “What to eat tomorrow.”
(Image: (Image: Getty))
Zhao’s gearing up for a grand comeback, ready to hit the pro circuit later this month after his timeout. These killer Q Tour moves put Zhao in the running for the coveted UK Championship, where he burst onto the scene three years ago.
Qualifiers heat up from November 16-21, where Zhao’s got to win four bouts for a spot under the main event’s bright lights.