Zhao Xintong won the 2025 World Snooker Championship, becoming the first player from China to claim the title.
Zhao defeated Mark Williams 18–12 in the final at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre. The victory made him the first Chinese world champion in snooker’s professional men’s championship, a landmark achievement for the sport in Asia.
Before Zhao’s triumph, Ding Junhui had been China’s most successful leading player, reaching the World Championship final in 2016 but losing to Mark Selby. Zhao’s success therefore represented a new milestone rather than a repeat of Ding’s achievement.
The World Championship is snooker’s most prestigious event and has been staged at the Crucible since 1977. Zhao’s title also added a major world crown to a career that had already included success in other professional tournaments.