Last year, Zhao came through four rounds of qualifying and then defeated 2024 runner-up Jak Jones, compatriot Lei Peifan and England’s Chris Wakelin before thrashing seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan 17-7 to reach the final.
Zhao’s 18-12 success over Mark Williams was a pivotal moment in the sport, instantly making the winner a national hero, and inspiring youngsters to take up snooker.
According to World Snooker Tour figures, more than 24.5 million unique viewers watched the third session of the final alone in China and during the whole 2025 tournament, it had a cumulative audience of 180 million on national broadcaster CCTV5.
The event also had 1.5 billion social media impressions in China over its 17 days.
“When I go to China I’m famous now and when I’m walking around the street lots of people want to take pictures of me,” said 29-year-old Zhao. “It’s amazing and a big difference to before but I’m really happy to do it and I’m trying to becoming a great player.
“Before, older people would want to take pictures of me because they are snooker fans, but now it is their son or daughter that takes pictures – and I’m really happy for it.”
If Zhao is to retain his title, he has to do something none of the previous 20 first-time winners at the Crucible have done, by winning it again the following year.
But Zhao showed no signs of falling to the so-called ‘Crucible Curse’ in his first-round match, as he saw off English qualifier Liam Highfield 10-7.
Before the tournament started, seven-time winner Stephen Hendry, speaking on BBC Television, said Zhao was his favourite to lift the trophy on Monday, 4 May.
“I think Xintong can retain his title,” said Hendry. “He is the future of the game for the next 10-15 years – he is going to dominate, no-one scores like him.
“He is not paying any attention to this stupid ‘curse’. Other Chinese players have got a huge lift from seeing their countryman lift the trophy.”