Snooker’s World Championships just got a whole lot spicier! Zhao Xintong, once banned for 20 months over betting violations, stunned fans by defeating last year’s finalist Jak Jones 10-4 as an amateur—marking the first time a non-pro has reached the second round! Now, he’s set to face fellow Chinese player Lei Peifan in an all-#ChinaShowdown clash.
Jones didn’t hold back: "I don’t see anyone playing better than him. If he wins, I wouldn’t be surprised." High praise for Zhao, who’s battling to become the first amateur—and Chinese—world champ!
This win guarantees four Chinese players in the last 16—a new record! Zhao credits his scrappy qualifying rounds for shaking off "rust" and boosting his confidence: "Every match now is crucial."
Meanwhile, other Chinese stars had mixed results: Fan Zhengyi fell to Mark Allen, but Xiao Guodong crushed Matt Selt 10-4. And don’t sleep on legend Ding Junhui, leading 6-3 in his opener!
Zhao vs. Lei kicks off Friday. Will redemption meet destiny? Grab your popcorn!
NewspaperAmigo – Your Global News Buddy 
Zhao Xintong, once banned for 20 months over betting violations, stunned fans by defeating last year’s finalist Jak Jones 10-4 as an amateur—marking the first time a non-pro has reached the second round! 
Now, he’s set to face fellow Chinese player Lei Peifan in an all-#ChinaShowdown clash.
Jones didn’t hold back: "I don’t see anyone playing better than him. If he wins, I wouldn’t be surprised." High praise for Zhao, who’s battling to become the first amateur—and Chinese—world champ! 
This win guarantees four Chinese players in the last 16—a new record! Zhao credits his scrappy qualifying rounds for shaking off "rust" and boosting his confidence: "Every match now is crucial." 
Zhao vs. Lei kicks off Friday. Will redemption meet destiny? Grab your popcorn! 
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