Category: Snooker

Halifax youngster has entered world’s top 64 and is spark the sport needs to find mainstream attention in the UK

It is commonly known these days as the Luke Littler effect. A teenage phenomenon bursting on to the scene and almost becoming a bigger force of nature than the sport he or she was born to succeed in. But while darts is only experiencing that boom now, snooker has tasted this sensation before.

In the 1990s, it was Ronnie O’Sullivan’s arrival on the baize as a teenager that revitalised snooker’s fortunes in the UK. In the mid-2000s, Ding Junhui’s emergence led to the explosion of the game in China – which has just produced its first world champion in the shape of Zhao Xintong, one of millions who was inspired to pick up a cue by Ding.

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• Trial set for next August in Glasgow

• The 48-year-old denies both charges

The former world snooker champion Graeme Dott is to stand trial next year over allegations of child sexual abuse. The 48-year-old is accused of two charges relating to primary school age children.

The allegations span between 1993 and 1996 involving a girl, and 2006 to 2010 involving a boy, both in the Glasgow region. A virtual hearing at the high court in Glasgow on Thursday was told Dott, who was not present, denies the charges.

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• WPBSA chair: ‘Someone has to say this is snooker’s time’
• Zhao Xintong’s world title win could aid prospects

The head of snooker’s governing body believes Zhao Xintong’s coronation as world champion could prove to be one of the most significant moments in the sport’s history as the game now targets entry into the Olympic Games in 2032.

Zhao became the first Chinese winner of the World Snooker Championship on Monday, defeating Mark Williams to cap a remarkable comeback, nine months after returning to the sport from a 20-month suspension for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal.

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Zhao Xintong survived a spirited fightback from Mark Williams to win his and Asia’s first world championship

Williams 6-12 Xintong Zhao is six frames away; there are seven to play in this sesh.

Williams 6-11 Xintong (5-65) Zhao secures the frame, then makes double-sure with a red sent to left corner via rest. Meantime, Sean Clayton emails thusly: “From a Sheffieldist perspective, would a Zhou win be good news, bad news or neutral for the World Championship’s future at the Crucible?

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• Chinese player wins opening session 7-1
• Williams recovers to take evening session 5-4

The Crucible qualifier Zhao Xintong took a commanding 11-6 lead over Mark Williams on day one of the final, getting the best of the three-time champion on the biggest stage of his career.

Aiming to become the first Chinese player to be crowned world champion, the 28-year-old followed up his semi-final thrashing of Ronnie O’Sullivan with a rampant opening session that left him 7-1 ahead.

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Zhao Xintong took a major step towards becoming China’s first world champion, taking an 11-6 overnight lead

Williams 0-0 Xintong (0-64) Email! “Battle of the dragons: Chinese v Welsh,” begins Andrew Goudie. “I hope they’ve invited Tony Drago(n) from Malta, also famous for having a dragon on its flag.” And the quickest player ever; him and Jimmy White were quite the doubles partnership. Anyroad, Zhao flukes a red, snuggles up to the brown, and Mark misses his escape … twice … thrice … before hitting. There are 85 points left on the table.

Williams 0-0 Xintong (0-51) The last qualifier to win the worlds was Shaun Murphy in 2025, but Zhao’s started like he means it. He breaks the pack nicely … then a lax positional shot means end of break; he does well not to attempt a wild pot, fired by disappointment, and to play a decent safety.

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• Beaten world semi-finalist unhappy with fan conduct
• One spectator yelled: ‘Can’t miss that Judd’ during match

Judd Trump has urged snooker’s authorities to act immediately to stamp out rowdy fan behaviour and avoid fostering a “darts atmosphere” at the sport’s biggest events.

Trump was visibly annoyed after a spectator shouted “can’t miss that Judd” during a crucial phase of his World Snooker Championship semi-final defeat by Mark Williams at the Crucible.

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• Welshman hits four centuries in 17-14 win over world No 1
• Williams: ‘I can’t believe I’m in another final’

Mark Williams produced a vintage performance to beat the world No 1, Judd Trump, and book his place in the final of the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.

Williams, 50, who is bidding to win his fourth title and become the oldest champion in tournament history, rolled back the years as he compiled four centuries and 10 breaks over 50 in a 17-14 victory at the Crucible.

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• ‘I’m moving out of the UK – a new life somewhere else’
• Williams leads Trump 13-11 after morning session

Ronnie O’Sullivan is preparing to start “a new life somewhere else”, revealing he will soon be moving to the Middle East after crashing out of the World Snooker Championship with a heavy semi-final defeat.

O’Sullivan’s bid for an eighth Crucible crown ended in a humiliating 17-7 loss to Zhao Xintong with a session to spare on Friday after the Chinese star won all eight frames in the morning before finishing the job in the evening.

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• Chinese sensation wins 17-7 after breathtaking display
• Williams hits back to level at 8-8 with Trump

Zhao Xintong produced an amazing display of attacking snooker to knock out his hero, the seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, with a session to spare and reach the final. O’Sullivan was left helpless to respond to the brilliance of the Chinese sensation who had come through four rounds of qualifying to reach the final stages at the Crucible.

Zhao said: “I can’t believe it. Thank you to Ronnie, he helped me a lot before. He’s my idol.”

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• Trump gains 5-3 advantage after error-strewn session
• Seven-time champion and Zhao Xintong level at 4-4

Judd Trump punished a series of costly errors from Mark Williams to build a 5-3 lead while Ronnie O’Sullivan and Zhao Xintong are level at 4-4, as the World Snooker Championship semi-finals got under way at the Crucible.

After an intriguing afternoon session between the seven-time champion and the young Chinese pretender, things started slowly in the evening. A tense opening to the match was filled with mistakes and a missed routine black by Williams in the eighth frame enabled Trump to establish a healthy overnight advantage.

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• Trump blasts past Brecel 13-8 to set up Williams clash
• O’Sullivan beats Si 13-9 and now faces Zhao Xintong

Judd Trump charged into the semi-finals, beating Luca Brecel in a high-quality match, while Ronnie O’Sullivan repelled a stirring fightback from Si Jiahui at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.

Trump will face Mark Williams in the last four after the Welshman’s epic 13-12 victory over John Higgins, which went to the final black. O’Sullivan will meet the Chinese sensation Zhao Xintong in what promises to be a mouthwatering clash.

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