"If he wins it, I wouldn't be surprised at all" Jak Jones has high praise for Zhao Xintong after Crucible loss

Former UK Champion and world number six Zhao is back competing in the sport’s blue riband event having missed out on the last two editions of it due to his suspension and subsequent ban.

The 28-year-old’s punishment expired last September, meaning he was free to compete on the international amateur circuit in an attempt to win back the professional tour card that was stripped from him in 2023.

On snooker’s secondary circuit, the Q Tour, Zhao sensationally won four successive tournaments and compiled two maximum 147 breaks on his way to finishing top of the rankings and earning a two-year World Snooker Tour card from the 2025/26 season later this calendar year.

But the Q Tour also rewarded Zhao with prizes for this season, as he was invited to the qualifying rounds of both the UK Championship and World Championship.

Before Christmas, Zhao - who won the whole event in 2021 - came through four preliminary matches to reach the main draw and televised stages of the 2024 UK Championship. On his return in front of the live cameras and a huge audience at the Barbican in York, Zhao narrowly lost 6-5 to Shaun Murphy.

Several months later, Zhao accepted his invite to the world qualifiers at the English Institute of Sport where he navigated four qualifying matches to make the 32-player main draw at the Crucible. In the process, Zhao underlined his power scoring with a tally of 12 century breaks.

Zhao adds to Crucible history during round one win over Jones

Zhao did the damage during the opening session of his round one encounter with last year’s runner-up Jones on Sunday morning as runs of 84, 91, 142, 70, 76 and 61 helped him establish a commanding 7-2 lead.

On resumption Monday morning, Jones - who took the final frame of session one - crafted efforts of 100 and 70 to reduce his arrears to two at 7-4 down, but Zhao extinguished hopes of a comeback as breaks of 70, 55 and 87 aided him over the line for a comfortable victory.

The result is Zhao's second match win at the Crucible; his first came in 2022, when as a seed player, he defeated qualifier Jamie Clarke, 10-2.

As Zhao does not have a professional tour card until next season, he is technically competing here as an amateur. He is only the third amateur player, ever, to reach the main draw at the Crucible, and he is now only the second to win a match at the famous venue, following in the footsteps of James Cahill from 2019 when he stunned Ronnie O’Sullivan in one of the competition’s all-time biggest shocks.

Following his victory, Zhao spoke with the World Snooker Tour and said: "Overall I’m pleased with my performance, especially in terms of scoring.

"I put my opponent under a lot of pressure. Jak reached the final here last year, so I knew I had to play really well to have a chance of beating him. I lost the first two frames today but I just tried stay in my rhythm. That helped me recover and stay focused."

Despite exiting this year’s Championship, Jones awarded opponent Zhao with high praise after the match, and said that it wouldn’t be a shock to him if Zhao went on to become snooker’s first world professional champion early next month.

"I don't see anyone who is playing better than him. If he wins it, I wouldn't be surprised at all and that would be good for the game. His long potting and scoring are good and he also has a good tactical game” said Jones.

“There are players who have won a lot more, but I don't see anyone in the tournament who is actually better than him."

Even before a ball was struck in the qualifying rounds, Zhao was strongly fancied to make it through to the Crucible. In terms of winning the whole thing, bookmakers rated him higher than many top 16 players to lift the trophy.

In recent weeks, snooker legends Jimmy White and Ken Doherty have talked up Zhao’s chances of World Championship glory this year.

All-Chinese meeting in the last 16 at the Crucible

Next up for Zhao in round two is an all-Chinese encounter with fellow qualifier Lei Peifan - the conqueror of reigning champion Kyren Wilson last Saturday.

Zhao and Lei are part of a record-breaking cast of 10 Chinese players featuring in the main draw for this year’s Championship. Number 14 seed Xiao Guodong also won his first round match, meaning three are already through to the last 16.

The two have only met on the professional circuit once before - in round one (last 128) of the 2021 Scottish Open where Lei came out on top, 4-2.

Please visit our 2025 World Snooker Championship tournament information centre here for details on the draw, results, format and order of play.