Zhao Xintong has said he hopes to maintain his winning streak to defend his World Snooker Championship title – something no first-time winner has been able to achieve at the Crucible.
The Chinese snooker star made history last weekend when he won the Tour Championship and became the first player to win all three Players Series events in one season, but the 29-year-old has a new challenge awaiting him in two weeks’ time.
Zhao’s sixth career title came Sunday after he beat No. 1 Judd Trump 10-3 in Manchester to add to the Players Championship and World Grand Prix titles he won earlier this season.
In the official post-match interview, Zhao expressed satisfaction with his form and looked forward to the World Snooker Championships.
“I feel good at the moment. Of course, the World Championship is a new beginning, so I hope to continue this momentum. The result is not the most important thing, but I want to do well,” he said.
Zhao described the victory as a “big moment” for him, noting that Trump was a player he admires, and modestly admitted that his opponent’s tipping issues presented an opportunity.
