One snooker star who was banned for their role in a match-fixing scandal has won yet another tournament while hitting a 147 break.
Zhao Xintong had been handed a 20-month ban for his role in the infamous match-fixing scandal that rocked snooker last year.
The Chinese ace was among 10 players who were given bans, but because Zhao wasn’t said to have directly thrown a match himself, he got off the lightest in comparison.
Zhao was found not to have fixed any games himself, yet was still reprimanded for being a guilty party to another player who was betting on snooker matches.
Other guilty players included Liang Wenbo and Li Hang, who were expelled from the sport for life, with Lu Ning, Yan Bingtao, Chen Zifan, Zhang Jiankang, Bai Langning, Zhao Jianbo and Chang Bingyu also punished.
It didn’t take the 2021 UK Championship winner long to refind his feet though, with Zhao tasting victory for the first time since returning in a WPBSA Q Tour event in Stockholm last month.
While by no means the most prestigious stage, Q Tour is a way for players to earn World Snooker Tour cards, with the top two qualifiers granted entry onto the professional circuit.
And the talented 27-year-old has boosted his chances with yet another Q Tour victory.
This time getting the better of Ryan Davies at the tournament in Manchester, with Zhao hitting a maximum break en route to lifting the trophy.
It was the second consecutive tournament Zhao managed such a feat, having become the first-ever player to hit a 147 during his successful Stockholm outing.
With three events of the season remaining, Zhao has rocketed to the top of the rankings and is now in pole position to regain professional status.
Zhao celebrated the victory by sharing a rather bizarre post on Instagram, with a photo of him holding his latest Q Tour trophy coupled with the caption: “What to eat tomorrow [straight-faced emoji].”
It’s a promising return to the table for Zhao, who is expected to compete in his first professional event since the ban later this month.
As a result of his Q Tour performances, Zhao now has the chance to qualify for the UK Championship – the tournament where he made his name as a champion three years ago.
Qualifying will take place between November 16-21, with Zhao needing to win four matches to earn a spot in the main draw.
