Having battled through four rounds of qualifying to reach the Barbican Centre, he will line up in the last 32 against former world champion and current world No 9 Shaun Murphy. Normally, an established star like Murphy would go into a match like this as heavy favourite but according to the bookies, the 42year-old is an underdog.
In fact, this amateur player is generally being priced as fifth favourite to win the entire tournament – with odds of 14-1 being similar to those of 2022 UK champion Mark Allen, the man who has reached the final of the event each of the last two years Ding Junhui, three-time champion of the world Mark Williams and 24-time ranking event winner Neil Robertson.
This despite the fact that he hasn’t competed in a professional tournament since 2022. As you’ve probably gathered by now, this isn’t any ordinary amateur snooker player. This is Zhao Xintong. The 27-year-old star who, after brilliantly winning the UK Championship back in 2021, has spent the past two years banned from snooker for his role in the match-fixing scandal that engulfed a number of the sport’s biggest Chinese players.
York this week marks Zhao’s return to the big stage and the reaction of the Barbican crowd will be fascinating to observe. Before his ban, he was fast becoming a fan favourite due to his flamboyant style of play, ferocious long potting and unbelievable skill with a cue in his hand. But the match-fixing scandal has left something of a black mark by his name.
The high-profile scandal engulfed snooker in early 2023 as 10 Chinese players were charged with varying degrees of matchfixing, and ultimately Liang Wenbo and Li Hang were banned from the sport for life. Former world No 11 Liang’s behaviour was identified as “particularly disgraceful” by the WPBSA disciplinary commission that carried out the hearing.
This story is from the November 23, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 23, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Zhao goes trophy hunting after match-fixing ban ends
When the main stage of the UK Championship - still widely considered snooker's second-biggest event after the World Championship - kicks off in York this afternoon, there will be an amateur player taking to the baize.
Wales look set for a biblical bashing against Springboks
Many a frustrated writer in search of a metaphor has plucked from the passages of 1 Samuel in the past but this week, the tale of David and Goliath feels apt.
Amorim lays down law as United begin new chapter
Ruben Amorim was running through Manchester United's recent managerial history.
Shame on PM for ignoring.lawyers' £4bn tax loophole
While most major employers were gnashing their teeth at the increase in their national insurance in the Budget, one group was celebrating.
Ofgem raises price cap as millions lose fuel payments
The energy price cap will increase in January for a second consecutive time, raising bills by 1.2 per cent as millions of people lose access to winter fuel payments.
'My father knew he was a target from the start but stayed to defend his people'
As pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai faces a potential life sentence in the high-stakes national security case in Hong Kong, his son Sebastien Lai has denounced the proceedings as a politically motivated \"show trial\" driven by a China-led crackdown on dissent politically motivated “show trial” driven by a China-led crackdown on dissent.
Meet Trump's second pick for attorney general top job
The incoming Trump administration didn't waste any time on Thursday after Matt Gaetz said that he was dropping his bid to become attorney general.
Judge postpones Trump's 'hush money' sentencing
The judge overseeing Donald Trump's historic hush money trail has postponed his sentencing indefinitely as he considers arguments from the president-elect's legal team to close the case.
McGregor raped woman in hotel, civil court jury finds
A woman who accused Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor of raping her in a Dublin hotel six years ago has won her claim against him for damages in a High Court civil case.
Cop29 $250bn climate fund.offer dismissed as insulting
Hopes of a trillion-dollar climate finance fund appear to be slipping out of reach after a draft text at the COP29 climate summit proposed a deal worth only a fifth of that.
