Mark Williams has compared Zhao Xintong to a young Ronnie O’Sullivan but doubts the new world champion will be reaching the Rocket’s Triple Crown records.
Zhao was superb in an 18-12 win over Williams in the World Championship final, winning the sport’s biggest event for the first time.
The 28-year-old had only won one match at the Crucible before this year and served a 20-month ban from the sport due to being concerned in match fixing and betting on snooker.
The break from the game has done him no harm at all, now looking like a better player than ever as he romps to the World Championship title.
The Welshman was a long way from his best for much of the final but was incredibly impressed by the Chinese star, comparing him to the seven-time world champion.
‘He’s close to as good to watch as O’Sullivan when he was younger,’ said Williams. ‘He just walks around the table as if he’s just walking to go to the toilet or something.
‘He’s just strolling. Pots from anywhere. Walks around not a care in the world. Two minutes later he’s on 65. Gee whizz! He’s got to sixty like that. Frightening.
‘He goes for his shots and he got most of them in the final. Really tough shots. They don’t go in all the time and when they don’t go in it looks a bit erratic. But when they go in, you don’t want to be on the other side of him, that’s for sure.’
Zhao now looks likely to be a real force at the top of the game again, but Williams does not think it will be possible to rack up big titles like O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry did.
Both those legends have won seven world titles, while the Rocket has won eight Masters and eight UK Championships, with Hendry on six Masters and five UKs.
Asked if Zhao could match those kind of numbers, Williams said: ‘No. I don’t think anyone will ever challenge them records because the standard is too good to get that many Worlds and Masters and UKs it’s too tough. Who knows? But it will be highly unlikely.’
It was no knock on Zhao, though, as the 50-year-old said of him: ‘What a potter. Jesus Christ! I remember I used to be like that when I was 27-28.
‘Some of the balls he can pot is unbelievable. He’s probably the best potter I’ve ever seen. I’m glad he’s not my rival.’
While Zhao’s ban is a dark mark on his CV, Williams feels his return in such style is worthy of great praise.
‘To do what he’s done, he’s been out for two years, come back on the Q Tour, pretty much won every game,’ said Williams. ‘Gone to qualifying, bashed everyone up. Come here and bashed everyone up in the main tournament.
‘It’s an incredible achievement. It’s unbelievable. I haven’t got enough nice words to say about him. He’s brilliant to watch, pots for fun, makes breaks and good luck to him.’