Record high number of Chinese players to star at the Crucible in the 2025 World Snooker Championship

The previous record of six from 2019 has been smashed, with nearly one-third of the 32-player main draw field for this year’s blue riband spectacular at the Crucible coming from the Far East country.

All ten of these Chinese players have either won at least one ranking event, or been in the final of at least one.

Four of the players are top 16 seeds for the tournament: Ding Junhui (number 10 seed), Zhang Anda (12), Si Jiahui (13), Xiao Guodong (14).

In the past, the most number of top 16 seeds China had for the main draw was two, achieved five times (2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024).

Six Chinese players came through the recent qualification rounds at the English Institute of Sport: Wu Yize (world number 22), Pang Junxu (27), Zhou Yuelong (32), Lei Peifan (39), Fan Zhengyi (46), Zhao Xintong (unranked - amateur). This tally would have been seven if last season’s Rookie of the Year He Guoqiang defeated Ali Carter in the final qualifying round.

The highest number of players from China to have come through the World Championship qualifying rounds was five in 2019.

Trailblazer Ding Junhui was the first player from mainland China to play at the Crucible. This happened in 2007 when Ding qualified and faced Ronnie O’Sullivan in round one, although it wasn’t a happy debut for Ding as he was eliminated 10-2 by ‘The Rocket’.

Ding went 5-0 behind in that match, but he won his first frame at the Crucible in the sixth with a century break of 103.

Who are the Chinese players at the 2025 World Snooker Championship?

Seven of the 10 Chinese players at this year’s Crucible are in their 20s. Two of them are only 21-years-old - Wu Yize (the youngest) and Lei Peifan.

Wu has had a breakthrough season reaching his first two ranking event finals at the English and Scottish Opens.

The world number 22 survived a deciding frame, final qualifying round thriller against two-time World Championship finalist Matthew Stevens on Wednesday night to reach the Crucible for the second time in his career. Wu will meet three-time champion Mark Williams in round one proper.

Last season, Lei didn’t even have a professional tour card. Now, he is a reigning ranking event champion having shocked the snooker world when winning the 2024 Scottish Open before Christmas, and is looking forward to his Crucible debut.

Lei got past fellow countryman 20-year-old Gao Yang (who was playing as an amateur) 10-9 at the final qualification hurdle at the English Institute of Sport, laying to rest some demons from three years previously when Hossein Vafaei defeated him on the final black in the deciding frame of the final qualifying round.

The reward for Lei is a glamour tie against reigning and defending World Champion Kyren Wilson on the opening day of the tournament, Saturday 19th April.

Si Jaihui and Xiao Guodong are two of three players in this year’s field who are Crucible seeds for the first time in their careers.

22-year-old Si is back here for a third successive year. On debut in 2023, he sensationally went all the way to the one-table set-up for the semi-finals where he lost to eventual champion Luca Brecel 17-15, having been 14-5 up at one point.

Xiao is somewhat one of the elder statesmen of Chinese professional snooker, but the 36-year-old - who turned pro in 2007 - is having by far the best season of his career to date after winning his maiden ranking event title at the Wuhan Open. He also reached the final of the invitational Champion of Champions on debut, and made a further three ranking event semi-finals, and four quarter-finals.

It will be Xiao’s fourth Crucible outing, but his first since 2018.

Number 12 seed Zhang Anda is back for a fifth Crucible campaign, although he has yet to win a match at the famous venue. Last year he was a seed for the first time, but lost 10-4 to Jak Jones.

33-year-old Zhang made his Crucible debut in 2010 when he was ousted by Stephen Hendry 10-9 in the opening round.

The highest ranked Chinese player this year is Ding Junhui, who needs no introduction. This will be 38-year-old Ding’s 19th Crucible cap (all have come successively) and he will be aiming to go one better than when he reached the final in 2016 - the first Asian player in history to appear in the world final.

On the whole, it has not been a happy place for Ding, though, especially in recent years having lost first round in each of his four most recent visits. Ding hasn’t been past the last 16 since 2018, although arrives this year as a reigning ranking event champion having won the International Championship earlier in the season on home soil.

23-year-old Pang Junxu -who will face Zhang in the only all-Chinese first round tie - qualified for the third year in-a-row, while Fan Zhengyi and Zhou Yuelong will be returning.

Fan faces Mark Allen again in round one; the two met on Fan’s Crucible debut in 2023. Zhou is back for the first time since 2019 (it will be his third outing there).

The biggest story throughout qualifying was the participation of former UK Champion Zhao Xintong who was back in World Championship action following the expiration of his ban from the sport in September.

Zhao will be back on the professional circuit full time from next season due to coming top of this season’s Q Tour rankings, but the 28-year-old currently doesn’t have a tour card, and is only the third amateur player in history to have qualified for the main draw of a Crucible World Championship.

Former top 16 star Zhao - who had to navigate four rounds of qualifying - plays last year’s runner-up Jak Jones first up, and could meet defending champion Wilson in round two.

China is still waiting for its first World Professional Snooker Champion. Unsurprisingly, Ding has come closest with his runner-up position in 2016, and two semi-final runs in 2011 and 2017.

The only other time that a player from mainland China has reached the one-table set-up was Si’s run in 2023.