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World Snooker Championship: record 10 Chinese, Zhao Xintong back after match-fixing ban
Draw reveals fate for Chinese hopefuls as Zhao, bouncing back from the sport’s biggest match-fixing scandal, makes it through qualifying
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Zhao Xintong will be among a record number of Chinese players at the Halo World Snooker Championship when it begins this weekend, and Thursday’s draw revealed who the country’s 10 representatives will face.
Two were handed especially tough starts, with Lei Peifan facing defending champion Kyren Wilson in Saturday’s opening session, and Zhou Yuelong drawn against world No 1 Judd Trump.
Hong Kong resident Trump will fly the flag alone for the city after Wang Yuchen fell at the final qualifying hurdle in Sheffield late on Wednesday, losing 10-4 to Hossein Vafaei.
Six mainland Chinese hopefuls made it through, however, with Zhao earning a first appearance at the Crucible since being caught up in the sport’s biggest match-fixing scandal, which saw 10 of China’s players suspended two years ago.
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