Zhao Xintong is well and truly back on the snooker map after emerging triumphantly from Q Tour Event 3 in Sweden on Sunday.
Competing in just his second snooker event after returning from a 20-month ban from the sport, Zhao produced a series of strong displays to prevail in Stockholm.
Zhao scored heavily throughout the weekend’s play, the highlight being a magnificent 147 break in the last frame of his 4-1 victory over teenager Shaun Liu in the last 64.
It represented the first maximum break ever recorded on the Q Tour, an amateur feeder circuit that provides an avenue for players to graduate onto the World Snooker Tour.
Zhao proved that his immense pedigree didn’t diminish during the ban by compiling eight tons in the tournament overall.
On Sunday, he beat veteran Peter Lines 4-1 in the last 16 before orchestrating back-to-back whitewash successes over Nicolas Morteaux and Mateusz Baranowski.
Zhao faced Craig Steadman in the final, the same player who knocked him out of his comeback tournament at Q Tour Event 2 in Bulgaria a month ago.
While the 4-3 scoreline was the same, the outcome on this occasion was different with the young Chinese star edging a close title-deciding battle in a decider.
Zhao will be hoping to use the Q Tour to regain his place on the main tour having surrendered his elite status on the back of last year’s match-fixing scandal.
Why was Zhao Xintong banned?
Ten Chinese players were judged to have been involved in a widespread match-fixing operation that sent shockwaves through the sport.
Zhao was deemed to bear knowledge of others fixing matches and was also guilty of betting on snooker matches, but he was acquitted of fixing matches himself – hence a lighter sentence compared to his countrymen.
Liang Wenbo and Li Hang were handed the heaviest sentences – lifetime snooker bans – for their respective roles at the front of the betting ring.
Former Masters champion Yan Bingtao was also given a multi-year ban, the 24 year-old unable to return to competitive action until December in 2027 at the earliest.
Zhao, however, was free to return to the sport and begin his comeback after his shorter ban ended at the start of September.
The 27 year-old first participated in Q Tour Event 2 in Bulgaria last month, but despite winning a couple of early-round fixtures he bowed out in the last 64 with defeat to Steadman.
It was in the same round this weekend in Stockholm where Zhao produced the 147 that reminded everyone in the game of the tremendous talent that he possesses.
What did Zhao achieve before the ban?
Before his ban, the former IBSF World Amateur Championship runner-up had been breaking through as one of the new stars of the game.
Success at the 2021 UK Championship in York was quickly followed by a second ranking title at the German Masters in Berlin.
He was ranked as high as number six in the world, so it will be fascinating to see if he can return to those heights again in the future.
The Q Tour will offer Zhao one of the best opportunities to make it back before the 2025/26 snooker season commences next summer.
The top-ranked player on the European Q Tour rankings will receive an automatic two-year card to compete on the professional circuit.
Three additional spots will be up for grabs through a play-off tournament involving high-ranked players on the European Q Tour and others from the Global Q Tour series of events held around the world.
Following Q Tour Event 3, Zhao has risen to second in the rankings on the back of pocketing the £3,000 champion’s cheque.
He is level in the standings with Dylan Emery, who won Q Tour Event 2 in Sofia, and just £300 behind Q Tour Event 1 champion Andres Petrov.
Q Tour Event 4 is scheduled to take place in Manchester from November 8-10.
Q Tour Event 3
Selected Results
Last 16
Craig Steadman 4-1 Alfie Davies
Peter Devlin 4-2 Umut Dikme
Alex Clenshaw 4-0 Rory McLeod
Steven Hallworth 4-2 Florian Nuessle
Zhao Xintong 4-1 Peter Lines
Nicolas Morteaux 4-3 Oliver Sykes
Barry Pinches 4-0 Sean O’Sullivan
Mateusz Baranowski 4-3 Ryan Thomerson
Quarter-Finals
Craig Steadman 4-1 Peter Devlin
Steven Hallworth 4-1 Alex Crenshaw
Zhao Xintong 4-0 Nicolas Morteaux
Mateusz Baranowski 4-3 Barry Pinches
Semi-Finals
Craig Steadman 4-2 Steven Hallworth
Zhao Xintong 4-0 Mateusz Baranowski
Final
Zhao Xintong 4-3 Craig Steadman
Click here to view the full draw
(snooker.org)
European Q Tour Rankings
(after event 3)
1. Andres Petrov – £3,300
2. Zhao Xintong – £3,000
3. Dylan Emery – £3,000
4. Ryan Thomerson – £2,400
5. Craig Steadman – £2,000
6. Harvey Chandler – £1,700
7. Steven Hallworth – £1,500
8. Mark Joyce – £1,500
Click here to view the full Q Tour rankings
(snooker.org)
Featured photo credit: WPBSA
