Show me the money
As it sinks in just what he has achieved, Zhao Xintong admires the trophy everyone dreams of winning.
Along with the silverware, the 28-year-old also scoops a prize of £500,000.
Not a bad month’s work if you can find it.
Zhao is just checking that the prize money is not inside thhe trophy it seems.
Moment to cherish
Zhao will never forget this day.
Celebrating becoming a world champion with his country’s flag draped over his shoulders.
He had to overcome some amazing opponents along the way, but he did in style and has won the admiration of The Crucible in the process.
China’s first-ever snooker world champion
Zhao Xintong did it the hard way, having to come through four qualifying rounds to get here.
He has been playing in this tournament for nearly a month.
The performance of Zhao making him a deserving champion and now he can go and celebrate re-writing history.
Zhao so humble in victory
Speaking with BBC Sport, the new champion had his say:
I can’t believe it. I can’t believe what I do. It is so exciting, thank you. I am so nervous tonight, Mark Williams is so good tonight, he is still such a good player. Yeh he’s the best. Nah I’m not tired. Maybe have a good drink tonight and I need to say thank you for everybody who come here, a nice crowd. Thank you everybody. I think I have had a dream. Maybe it not true.
Zhao Xintong
Zhao so humble in victory
Speaking with BBC Sport, the new champion had his say:
I can’t believe it. I can’t believe what I do. It is so exciting, thank you. I am so nervous tonight, Mark Williams is so good tonight, he is still such a good player. Yeh he’s the best. Nah I’m not tired. Maybe have a good drink tonight and I need to say thank you for everybody who come here, a nice crowd. Thank you everybody. I think I have had a dream. Maybe it not true.
Zhao Xintong
Asia’s first world champion
Zhao Xintong has made his country proud.
In fact, he has made a whole continent stand up and take notice.
He fully deserves his win and can now say he is world champion.
