Zhao Xintong ‘the George Best of snooker’ as John Higgins pays ultimate compliment | Other | Sport
John Higgins paid the ultimate compliment to Zhao Xintong after losing to the reigning world champion in a thrilling Players Championship final. The two players were level at seven frames each before Zhao strung together three impressive breaks to claim a 10-7 victory. It secured him a fifth successive final win and back-to-back titles after the World Grand Prix earlier this month.
There wasn’t much to separate Zhao and Higgins until the business end of the match, when the Chinese player turned up the heat and prevailed under pressure. He was lauded by his Scottish opponent afterwards, being likened to football icon George Best and legendary Super Bowl-winning coach Jimmy Johnson as Higgins piled on the praise.
“I can always remember my dad saying things like he was lucky to see people like George Best and Jimmy Johnson,” said Higgins in his post-match interview.
“The snooker players, I’m sure my kids are lucky that they’ve watched somebody like Xintong because he is an absolute genius. A genius.”
Zhao, meanwhile, described his victory as a ‘dream’ and suggested that he was lucky to win the tournament while not playing at his very best.
“I still can’t believe it,” he said. “I was in Hong Kong last week. I won the championship again. It’s a dream. I can’t believe that. I just want to do the best snooker. This week I played not really good, but the last three frames I played three good frames.”
Looking ahead to his upcoming World Championship title defence, he added: “I don’t want to think a lot. I just want to enjoy the table, enjoy snooker.”
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The match was locked at four frames each heading into the evening session, with Zhao playing a poor safety shot as Higgins took the lead in the ninth frame.
A brilliant break of 88 saw Zhao draw level at the next opportunity but Higgins restored his slender advantage to take the lead at 6-5.
The two players traded frames once again to leave Higgins winning 7-6 before Zhao dug deep to claim four successive frames and seal an impressive victory.
He achieved breaks of 104, 126 and 92 to pull away from Higgins and take the trophy. Zhao will be hoping to maintain his imperious form ahead of this year’s World Championship, where he will be hoping to win back-to-back Crucible titles.
The 28-year-old became the first Chinese player to clinch snooker’s biggest prize last year and is among the favourites to secure glory at the next edition of the tournament, which gets underway in April.
