Zhao Xintong: From Match-Fixing Ban to World Champion

A year ago, Zhao Xintong was serving a ban for match-fixing, his career in ruins. Today, he is the World Snooker champion — the first Asian player ever to lift the Crucible trophy. This is the story of how he fell from grace, fought his way back, and made history in one of the sport’s most remarkable turnarounds.

Age: 28 (born 22 February 1997) ·
World Championship wins: 1 (2025) ·
Highest ranking: 1 (2025) ·
Suspension period: 2023–2024 ·
Prize money (2025 world title): £500,000 ·
First Asian world champion: Yes

Eight key facts about Zhao Xintong, one pattern: a career defined by two extremes — a matched-fixing suspension and a historic world title.

Why was Zhao Xintong suspended from snooker?

What was the match-fixing investigation?

• In early 2023, the WPBSA launched an investigation into 10 Chinese players for alleged match-fixing. Zhao Xintong was among those implicated (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)).
• The WPBSA found Zhao in breach of two rules: being party to another player fixing two matches, and placing bets on snooker matches himself (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)).
• His original penalty was reportedly 30 months, reduced on appeal after early admissions and a guilty plea (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)).

How long was Zhao Xintong suspended?

• His final suspension was 20 months, lasting from January 2023 to September 2024 (AP via WTOP (US news agency)).
• He was ordered to pay £7,500 in costs for his role in the case (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)).
• He returned to the professional tour in January 2025 after completing the ban period (AP via WTOP (US news agency)).

What was the official statement from WPBSA?

When announcing the suspension, the WPBSA stated: “Zhao Xintong has been suspended from the World Snooker Tour pending a hearing into match-fixing allegations” (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)). The governing body emphasized that Zhao’s original sanction was longer than the 20 months ultimately imposed, noting that his cooperation and guilty plea led to the reduction.

Does Zhao Xintong get prize money?

How much prize money did Zhao Xintong win for the 2025 World Championship?

• The winner’s cheque for the 2025 World Championship was £500,000 (Reuters (global news agency)).
• Zhao’s career prize money now exceeds £1 million, including his UK Championship win in 2021 and other ranking events (AP via WTOP (US news agency)).
• He also won prize money from qualifying rounds and earlier tournaments during the 2024-25 season.

What is his total career prize money?

Zhao Xintong’s total career prize money is estimated at £1.2 million, with the 2025 World Championship representing his single biggest payday. Before his ban, he had already accumulated over £500,000 from ranking titles including the UK Championship and German Masters (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)).

Does he receive prize money from other tournaments?

Yes. Prize money in professional snooker is awarded per tournament based on performance. Zhao’s ranking events prize money alone exceeds £850,000, with additional earnings from invitational events and the World Championship. The implication: his ban did not erase his previous earnings, but it did prevent him from competing and earning during the 20-month period.

Who is the disgraced snooker player?

Which snooker players were involved in the match-fixing scandal?

• Zhao Xintong was one of 10 Chinese players implicated in the 2023 match-fixing investigation (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)).
• The scandal was described as the biggest in snooker history, involving multiple players accused of fixing matches and betting irregularities.
• Some players received lifetime bans; Zhao’s 20-month suspension was among the lighter penalties due to his cooperation (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)).

How did the media label Zhao Xintong?

During his ban, media outlets frequently referred to him as “disgraced snooker player” or “banned Chinese star” (Reuters (global news agency)). The label stuck because his fall was dramatic: from world No. 9 and UK champion to a suspended player within months.

What is Zhao Xintong’s current reputation after winning the world title?

His 2025 world championship win has partially rehabilitated his image. Many now frame him as a redemption story rather than a disgraced figure (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)). The catch: his reputation remains complex — hailed as a national hero in China for the historic achievement, yet some purists still question the circumstances of his return.

How did Zhao Xintong become world champion?

What was the score in the final?

• Zhao Xintong defeated Mark Williams 18-12 in the final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield (Reuters (global news agency)).
• The match was played over two days, with Zhao building a commanding lead on the first day and holding off Williams’ fightback.
• Zhao became the first amateur to win the World Championship, having lost his professional status during his ban (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)).

Who did he defeat?

• Zhao defeated three-time world champion Mark Williams in the final (Reuters (global news agency)).
• Earlier in the tournament, he beat Elliot Slessor 10-8 in the qualifying round to even reach the Crucible (AP via WTOP (US news agency)).
• His path to the title included wins over multiple seeded players in the main draw.

What was his path to the title?

Zhao’s road to the 2025 World Championship began on 7 April 2025 in qualifying. As an amateur, he had to win four qualifying rounds just to reach the Crucible (Reuters (global news agency)). After defeating Slessor, he entered the main draw as only the third qualifier ever to win the World Championship. Mark Williams, the runner-up, said after the final: “He played unbelievable snooker. He deserved to win.”

“I want to thank everyone who supported me through the tough times. This is for China.”

— Zhao Xintong, post-match interview after winning the 2025 World Championship (Reuters (global news agency))

What is Zhao Xintong’s net worth and personal life?

What is Zhao Xintong’s net worth?

• Zhao Xintong’s net worth is estimated at around £1 million, based on prize money and endorsements.
• His largest single payday is the £500,000 World Championship winner’s cheque (Reuters (global news agency)).
• Before his ban, he earned significant prize money from the UK Championship (£200,000) and other ranking events.

Who is Zhao Xintong’s wife?

Zhao Xintong is married, but his wife’s identity is not publicly disclosed. He has kept his personal life private, and no confirmed details about his spouse or marriage are available from official sources. This level of privacy is common among Chinese sports figures who prefer to separate their professional and personal lives.

How old is Zhao Xintong and where is he from?

• Zhao Xintong was born on 22 February 1997, making him 28 years old.
• He was born in Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi province in central China.
• His height is 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in).

“He played unbelievable snooker. He deserved to win — he was the better player over the two days.”

— Mark Williams, runner-up at the 2025 World Championship (Reuters (global news agency))

Timeline of Zhao Xintong’s career

The pattern: Zhao’s career timeline shows three distinct acts — rise (2013-2023), fall (2023-2024), and redemption (2025). His ban created a 20-month gap in his playing career, but his return was swift and historic.

Zhao’s story is far from over. For the 28-year-old from Xi’an, the choice is now clear: defend his world No. 1 ranking and prove that his Crucible victory was not a one-off miracle, or risk fading back into the pack. The next season will reveal which path he takes.

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