Zhao Xintong says he can ‘do better and better’ than his performances in World Championship qualifying, as he prepares for his return to the Crucible.
The 28-year-old returned from a ban for his part in a match-fixing scandal in September last year, guilty of being concerned in fixing matches on the World Snooker Tour and betting on snooker.
His two years away from the sport has not seemed to slow him down as he dominated the amateur circuit, clearly still a number of levels above the standard on the Q Tour – snooker’s second tier.
Zhao stormed through UK Championship qualifying and narrowly lost to Shaun Murphy at the Barbican and has now made his way through World Championship qualifying to book a spot at the Crucible against Jak Jones in round one.
The former UK champion won four matches at the English Institute of Sport and looked very good doing so, knocking in 12 centuries along the way.
His scoring ability on display in qualifying was frightening for opponents, but he says that he can do much, much more than he has shown on his return so far.
‘I just think I can do it better and better, I think it’s not enough,’ he said after beating Elliot Slessor in the final round of qualifying.
‘I practice every day and try my best on the table, I think I can be better.’
While he has very high expectations of his own performances, Zhao is not talking up what he is going to achieve at the Crucible, hoping to keep the pressure off.
‘I don’t think too much because it gives me pressure,’ he said. ‘I just try to do better every match, I don’t think what happens tomorrow, just do today.’
The two-time ranking event winner was number nine in the world when he was banned, but arrives back at the Crucible officially as an amateur.
Does he feel like he is still as good as a top 10 player?
‘I don’t know. If I’m really a top player I think I’ll be back there,’ he said. ‘I don’t think a lot, I just try to win every match.
‘Long time not playing at the Crucible, three years, I will enjoy that and don’t give myself too much pressure.’
Ronnie O’Sullivan was something of a mentor for Zhao earlier in his career, working with the Chinese star on the practice table at times.
The Rocket has been keeping an eye on him in qualifying and has been impressed, but is not ready to back him to land the sport’s biggest prize just yet.
‘That is a big ask considering he’s not played a lot of matches over the two years,’ said O’Sullivan. ‘I know he’s been on Q Tour, he has done brilliantly well, won a lot of tournaments.
‘I’ve watched some of his qualifying, scoring well, unbelievably talented player. So he could do it but I’d be surprised if he does because a lot of top players are playing well.
‘There’s five or six top players playing good, which is quite rare. It will be a tough ask but he is so talented you just never know.’