On May 6th, the 2025 World Snooker Championship concluded, with Chinese player Zhao Xintong clinching the title. This marks the first time a Chinese player, or even an Asian, has won this prestigious tournament, which symbolizes the pinnacle of professional snooker. What makes Zhao's victory even more remarkable is that he triumphed as an amateur player with a wildcard entry, making it a historic firstin the sport.
Zhao Xintong, born in Shenzhen, first came into contact with snooker at the age of seven. During his youth, he trained for years in Guangzhou under Wu Wenzhong, known as the "godfather of snooker" in China. After moving to the UK and joining a snooker academy, he successfully transitioned into a professional player.
Snooker is a branch of billiards, originating in the late 19th century among the British army stationed in India. In the 1980s, snooker culture began to spread globally from the UK and gained popularity in Hong Kong. Guangdong, due to its proximity to Hong Kong, was the first region on theChinese mainland where snooker became popular.
As a result, snooker is widely welcomed by people in Guangdong. In 1994, Guangdong native Guo Hua became the first player on the Chinese mainland to qualify for the UK Championship. He defeated players such as Stephen Hendry and Ken Doherty, and his experience abroad inspired a generation of young players in China.
In 2005, 18-year-old Ding Junhui won China's first ranking title in professional snooker, serving as a catalyst for the sport's development in China.
In 2024, Bai Yulu, a female snooker player from Dongguan, claimed her second World Women's Snooker Championship title and thus became the first Chinese player to achieve this feat, setting a new milestone in the history of Chinese snooker.
Today, Ding Junhui is no longer the sole Chinese pioneer in the world of snooker. Zhao Xintong has made history, and the Chinese contingent now enjoys a collective strength. In the 2025 World Snooker Championship, a record 10 Chinese players made it to the main draw, with six reaching the round of 16.
The number of snooker training bases in China is steadily increasing, and the CBSA-WPBSA Academy has established a branch in Changping Town, Dongguan. Additionally, China hosts numerous invitational tournaments annually, inviting snooker stars. Legends like Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby have acknowledged that China is now one of the largest snooker markets in the world. Judd Trump, the current world No. 1, who frequently competes in China, even called China his "second home."
Source: Lingnan On the Cloud
赵心童夺冠背后：广东何以盛产斯诺克名将？
5月6日，2025年斯诺克世锦赛落下大幕，中国选手赵心童夺冠。这是中国选手乃至亚洲选手第一次摘下这项象征职业斯诺克最高荣誉的赛事桂冠，而赵心童以业余选手持外卡夺冠，更是历上首次。
出生于深圳的赵心童，7岁第一次接触斯诺克，少年时期跟随中国斯诺克“教父”伍文忠在广州训练多年。在留洋英国、进入斯诺克学院之后，他顺利成为了职业球手。
斯诺克是台球运动的一个分支，19世纪晚期，在英国驻印度的军队中诞生。上世纪80年代，斯诺克文化开始从英国向全球渗透，并在香港流行。由于毗邻香港，广东成为内地最早流行斯诺克的地区。
因此，广东有着非常深厚的斯诺克群众基础。1994年，广东名将郭华成为中国内地第一个取得英国职业斯诺克赛事资格的选手，曾在比赛中击败过亨得利和达赫迪，他的留洋经历影响了一大批中国年轻选手。
2005年，18岁的丁俊晖获得中国人在职业斯诺克领域的第一个排名赛冠军，这如同一剂“强心针”，极大刺激了斯诺克在中国的崛起。
2024年，东莞女子斯诺克队员白雨露一举夺得2024女子斯诺克世锦赛第二座冠军奖杯，成为国内第一位获此殊荣的选手，刷新中国斯诺克运动历史。
如今，丁俊晖不再是那个闯荡世界球坛的孤勇者，赵心童创造了新的历史，中国军团形成了集团优势。本届世锦赛，共有10名中国选手创纪录进入正赛，其中6人打进16强。
国内台球培训基地数量稳步提升，CBSA世界斯诺克学院在东莞常平镇建立了分院。国内每年还会举办诸多邀请赛，广泛邀请斯诺克明星。奥沙利文、塞尔比等斯诺克名将毫不讳言，中国已是全球最大的斯诺克市场之一。常来中国参赛的现世界排名第一的特鲁姆普甚至表示，中国已是自己的第二个家。
（参考资料：澎湃新闻、新黄河、央视网、北京晚报、南方日报、新京报、潮新闻、经济日报、北京日报、证券时报等）
文丨记者 杨楚滢
图丨新华社
翻译丨柯妃娟
英文审校丨王枥焓