Zhao Xintong breaks silence on return from ban after qualifying for UK Championship

Zhao Xintong says helium volition beryllium stronger arsenic a effect of his 20-month prohibition from snooker, admitting helium ‘made a small mistake’ successful being portion of the sport’s match-fixing scandal.

The 27-year-old was banned from snooker for being enactment to different subordinate fixing 2 matches and betting connected snooker matches himself.

He was 1 of 10 Chinese players banned from the athletics successful June 2023, with his being the shortest of the punishments arsenic helium did not propulsion a lucifer himself.

The erstwhile satellite fig six saw his prohibition extremity successful September and helium has returned to amateur snooker successful immoderate style, winning 2 Q Tour events and making 2 147s successful the process – the archetypal subordinate ever to marque a maximum connected that circuit.

His performances earned himself a spot successful UK Championship qualifying and helium has stormed done it, beating Sunny Akani, Jiang Jun, Noppon Saengkham and Ricky Walden to book his spot successful York wherever helium volition play Shaun Murphy connected Saturday.

After beating Walden 6-2 connected Thursday the erstwhile UK champion was asked astir his clip distant from the sport, specifically if helium wanted to accidental atrocious to snooker fans.

‘Two years agone I made a small mistake and present I travel back, truthful I cognize however important snooker is for me, I privation to travel backmost to the snooker array and get trophies,’ helium said.

‘These are precise large lessons for me, it makes maine admit snooker more.’

On whether different players tempted by corruption should larn from his mistakes, helium said: ‘Let them cognize this is simply a large acquisition truthful don’t marque mistakes. Just playing snooker is simply a precise bully thing.’

Two players were banned for beingness from the athletics arsenic portion of the scandal, with erstwhile Masters champion Yan Bingtao banned for conscionable nether six years.

Asked if helium had been pressured into his engagement successful the scandal, helium said: ‘Little spot of unit made maine bash the incorrect happening astatine the incorrect time.’

On his clip retired of the game, helium said: ‘This 2 years is precise agelong for me, I support practicing each day. I cognize I’ll travel backmost truthful I request to support assured successful myself truthful if I play good I tin triumph anything. I support practicing and conscionable request to travel back.

‘I cognize it’s precise hard, but I deliberation it made maine stronger. Later I volition beryllium stronger.’

Asked whether helium felt his punishment was fair, helium said: ‘I don’t know, sorry.’

Despite his immense endowment it is inactive a precise awesome instrumentality to the array for Zhao, beating 4 tricky players successful qualifying this week aft dominating his amateur events.

Were determination nerves connected making his instrumentality to the sport?

‘Yeah, due to the fact that a agelong clip nary play truthful I’m inactive uncovering the tourney feeling,’ said the erstwhile German Masters champion. ‘I deliberation it’s not truly travel backmost now, I deliberation I’ll bash amended successful the future.’

He told WST: ‘I miss truthful much, 2 years not playing tournaments, present I’ve travel back. I conscionable privation to bask the tourney and bash my best.

Zhao’s signifier and content that helium has overmuch much to springiness volition beryllium worrying the remainder of the tract successful York, starting with Murphy successful the opening round.

‘I judge if I play good I tin bushed anybody. I’ll effort my best,’ Zhao said.

On his 147s connected the Q Tour, helium added: ‘The maximum I think, if I play good is nary problem.’

The absorption to Zhao successful York volition beryllium absorbing to spot arsenic helium has been an immensely fashionable subordinate for his flamboyant benignant and unthinkable skill, but his indiscretion volition surely harm that popularity.

‘I conscionable play snooker truthful I don’t deliberation a lot. I conscionable privation to support practice, play my snooker,’ helium said connected however players person responded to his return.

On what helium expects from the assemblage successful York, helium stuck to the line, saying: ‘I don’t deliberation a batch now, I conscionable privation to play my snooker.’

Before helium was drawn to look Zhao successful circular 1 successful York, Murphy was asked astir his instrumentality and feels helium has served his clip and should present beryllium capable to determination connected with his career.

‘Zhao Xintong obviously, precise famously won this lawsuit a fewer years agone and possibly much famously was portion of the 10 players banned for match-fixing problems,’ helium said.

‘I deliberation it has to beryllium said that Zhao Xintong was astatine the precise little extremity of those bans, helium was ne'er accused of cheating, helium was ne'er accused of fixing immoderate matches. He did cognize astir it and that is, of course, against the rules.

‘I’d accidental that’s been a precise hard 18 months of truthful for him. He has served his clip and he’s backmost competing.

‘The occupation with Zhao Xintong is he’s truly bloody good! That’s the occupation with Xintong.

‘It mightiness beryllium just to accidental he’s done thing for 18 months but practice, helium looks very, precise sharp.

‘He was caught, helium took his punishment connected the chin, admitted it consecutive away, paid each his fines and since past he’s done everything right. There’s an constituent of rehabilitation, truthful he’s back.’