JAMES NALTON hails the rise of the number of Chinese players heading to the Crucible
Zhao Xintong during day three of the Halo World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
Newcastle cling on to Champions League qualification hopes as the Tractor Boys are condemned to regulation
THERE has already been a Chinese snooker world champion. In March 2024, 20-year-old Bai Yulu defeated Mink Nutcharut of Thailand 6-5 to win the world championship on the World Women's Snooker Tour.
Having been mooted for several years, a Chinese champion on the main World Snooker Tour (WST) is also expected sooner rather than later, and the number of players to have qualified for the World Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield this year shows why.
A record 10 Chinese players will take to the Crucible stage this year, as Lei Peifan, Zhao Xintong, Fan Zhengyi, Pang Junxu, Wu Yize and Zhou Yuelong came through the qualifiers to join top-16 players Ding Junhui, Xiao Guodong, Si Jiahui and Zhang Anda in the last 32 of the tournament.
JAMES NALTON writes on how the title win has sparked long-awaited celebrations among fans after a triumph four years — and one pandemic — in the making
As the historic ground prepares for its emotional farewell, even visiting teams like Manchester City are paying tribute to one of English football’s most storied stadiums, writes JAMES NALTON
A new front in the fight for football’s soul is emerging — one rooted in trade union values and collective power
