Every Shot Is a Choice: A Conversation with Zhao Xintong

There is a quiet poetry to the sport of snooker. One snooker table, 22 snooker cue balls, a thousand possible outcomes. For Zhao Xintong, this is what makes this game special.

Fresh off a 10-3 victory over world number one Judd Trump in the 2026 Snooker Tour Championship final, Zhao Xintong claimed his fourth title of the season and also made history by becoming the first player to win all three Players Series events in a single season.

The World Snooker Championship is approaching. We sat down with Zhao Xintong to talk slowly about his story, his mentality, and why every shot on the table feels like life itself. The content of the article comes from People's Daily and Guangming.com.

Player Profile

Zhao Xintong was born in Shenzhen, Guangdong, in 1997, and started playing snooker at the age of 8. He turned professional in 2016 and won the British Championship in 2021, becoming the first player born in the 1990s to win three snooker majors. In 2025, he made history by becoming Asia's first snooker world champion.

On Chinese Snooker and the Next Generation

Q: The collective performance of Chinese snooker players has been outstanding this season, and many new players have emerged. What do you think is driving this surge?

Zhao:

This is a process from quantitative change to qualitative change. 20 years ago, there were only a few Chinese players in the professional arena, but now there are nearly 30. This is the result of everyone's joint efforts. There are more and more children playing snooker, and the foundation of the talent pyramid is becoming more and more solid, and more good talents will naturally emerge.

As everyone continues to accumulate experience in the professional arena and maintain high-level confrontation training with each other, good results will come naturally. Of course, our achievements will also encourage more people to join the sport of snooker, forming a virtuous cycle. I firmly believe that we will see more young Chinese players achieve greater achievements on the world stage.

Q: After you won the World Championships last year, Ding Junhui said, "The threshold I broke then has now become everyone's runway." What do you think of this?

Zhao:

I still remember watching him win the China Open in 2005; that’s when I really started playing snooker. He introduced the sport to many people in China and helped bring major events to China, giving us more opportunities to shine. Without him, there would be no Chinese snooker players of our current generation.

After winning the World Championship last year, I began to understand the pressure he has been under over the years, especially when playing at home. It is not easy to win under such expectations.

Q: You are now regarded as a leader in Chinese snooker. Do you feel pressure from young players?

Zhao:
I don't think so. In snooker, your biggest opponent is yourself. The most important thing is to perform at your best. Now, young Chinese players are very competitive, and they will win many championships in the future. We all hope to show the style of Chinese players in the world through our own efforts.

Q: Have you noticed any change in the popularity of snooker around you since you won the World Championships last year?

Zhao:
Yes, the biggest change is that during domestic competitions, many parents took photos with me with their children. They told me that these children fell in love with snooker because of me. This is something that makes me really proud. If I can inspire more young people to enjoy this sport, that would be the most valuable and happy thing.

On Himself and His Playing Style

Q: Fans have given you nicknames such as "Chinese Rocket" and " Zhao Gongzi ". What do you think of these nicknames? And who is your idol?

Zhao:

The nickname "Chinese Rocket" may come from my similar playing style to Ronnie O'Sullivan, but I want to have an exclusive nickname. I quite like the nickname Zhao Gongzi. You may think it matches my playing style and my way of life.

Speaking of my idol, it has to be O'Sullivan. What touched me most was his personal guidance to me. Once, he drove more than 3 hours from London, England, to Sheffield to practice with me. After practice, he helped me pick up the ball and kept giving me tips. In another game, he served as a guest commentator. When he invited me for afternoon tea after the game, he also specially helped me analyze the areas where I did not perform well during the game, just like a teacher giving lessons to his students. His guidance opened up new ideas for me, allowing me to be more reasonable and calm in my shot selection.

Q: How did you first get into snooker? What is the charm of this sport?

Zhao:
I have been fond of all kinds of ball games since I was a child, and I had billiard toys when I was three or four years old. My formal exposure was when I was 8 years old. My father took me to play at a friend’s club. I tried two shots and scored on the first shot. This sport immediately attracted me.

Snooker is a sport that creates and solves obstacles. Only by using the most reasonable choice to hit the cue ball can the error rate be minimized. This thinking process is full of charm. The shape of the ball is different in every round, requiring constant thinking. Every shot is a choice in life. Snooker, like life, is full of choices. Where you end up depends on your choice.

Q: Usually traveling around for training and competitions, what should you do if you feel homesick? When you are not playing snooker, do you have any hobbies to relax?

Zhao:

I'll message or call my mom, or have a nice Chinese meal. I usually like to travel, and during the offseason, I travel around a lot. During the competition, I would go for a walk in the local area to decompress from the competition. I also have a puppy, and having her by my side also makes me relax a lot.

Q: Fans think you are very "accurate" when playing. Have you bought insurance for your "golden left hand"? Is this "accuracy" a natural touch, or is it acquired through practice?

Zhao:
I think accuracy is innate. I don’t have insurance on my left hand, but I do take good care of it! Many people also think that I play at a fast pace. This is not intentional. I can't slow down even if I want to. If I play slower, I won't be able to play well. This is my own rhythm. My reaction speed and sensitivity to the ball may be my talent.

Q: Many people used to think that you were "only offensive but not defensive". Now the progress on the defensive end is visible to the naked eye. Is this your own initiative to seek change, or is it forced by the game?

Zhao:

Yes, that's what I've been doing lately. To become a top snooker player, you must have a balanced offense and defense. My previous style of play may have been more offensive, but it was not reasonable enough, and the error and turnover rates would be higher than those of others. In the past six months, I have been trying to change this, not only to express my offensive style, but also to maintain a stronger rationality, so that I can win more games and grow into a truly top player.

On Setbacks, Growth, Persistence, and Psychological Strength

Q: You have been relegated and have especially experienced a 20-month suspension. This is almost a break in the sports career for professional players. What do you think of the ban? What thoughts does this bring to your career and life?

Zhao:

During that time, I was reflecting on myself. At that time, when I spoke out on social media, I felt that if I did something wrong, I should have the courage to take responsibility and correct it. That was an attitude I wanted to express from the bottom of my heart. To be honest, that was probably the darkest time I've ever had. Fortunately, I am optimistic by nature. I know how much I love this snooker sport and firmly believe that I will come back, so I use that time to change and improve.

At that time, I still maintained high-intensity training and did not relax at all about my skills. At the same time, I also re-examined myself: How to plan my career? What should be done and what should not be done? Looking back now, this period of precipitation has allowed me to find a better way, both mentally and in life. Snooker requires not only technology, but also mature and correct thinking. That period of time just helped me make up for this lesson.

Q: You made it all the way to the World Championships last year. Was there any game or moment when you felt, “I may not be able to survive this time,” or “I am in good shape and have a chance to win the championship”? How do you stay steady during these moments and focus on hitting every shot?

Zhao:

Before playing in the World Championships, I never thought I would have the chance to win. As I progress step by step, I don't feel like I'm getting closer to the championship. At the end of the third stage of the finals, I was only one game away from the championship. I had a real feeling, but there was a big psychological fluctuation. I was defeated by my opponent in 4 consecutive games. I sat in the audience and kept talking to myself: "Wait patiently, believe in yourself, and when your opponent makes a mistake, you can seize the opportunity to win the game." 

In the end, I did it, and the moment I won the game, my mind went blank. It wasn't until I actually lifted the trophy that I realized that I had won this championship. It was all incredible. To this day, when I recall this journey, it still feels like a dream.

Q: There is a saying in snooker called "The Crucible Curse". In the history of this sport, no one has been able to defend the World Championship immediately after winning it for the first time. The World Championships are about to kick off. How do you view this "curse"?

Zhao:

I don't think about it at all. To me, it's just another game. I didn't think about defending my title; I just wanted to treat it as an ordinary match. Snooker matches are played one-on-one. Just like last year, I also had this mentality: I want to win, but I am not afraid of losing. Once you can accept losing, you will be more relaxed about the game. I am confident about this year's World Championships, but I will not put any extra pressure on myself.

Q: What would you say to young players chasing their snooker dreams, or even to ordinary people pursuing what they love?

Zhao:
The most important thing is persistence. If you truly love something and stick with it, eventually, something good will come your way.

Closing Thought

Snooker may look like a game of angles and precision. Still, at its core, it is a game of decision-making, a sport of creating obstacles, solving them, and the thought process of hitting the cue ball with the most reasonable choice to minimize the chance of making a snooker mistake.

As Zhao Xintong reminds us: every shot is a choice. Every choice shapes your path.