Zhao Xintong vs Ding Junhui ‘could be most watched snooker match ever’ | Other | Sport

Ding Junhui has admitted that his upcoming World Championship clash with Zhao Xintong could go down as the most-watched match in snooker history. The sport commands a massive following in China, and the second-round encounter between two of the nation’s biggest stars is set to attract staggering viewing figures.

Last year’s Crucible drew a cumulative audience of 180 million on national broadcaster CCTV5, the highest figure recorded since 2022. The third session alone of Xintong’s historic Final victory over Mark Williams was watched by almost 25 million unique viewers across China. Junhui’s showdown with the reigning champion is shaping up to be a monumental spectacle and, when asked whether it could become the most-watched match in snooker history, he replied: “Yes. They’ll be quite a lot. I’m not sure on the numbers, but we’ll find out!

“I totally don’t know what will happen back home. It will be a very tough match and I know a lot of people will be keeping an eye on this.”

Junhui reached the Final against Mark Selby a decade ago, with reports suggesting that tournament propelled TV audiences in China to 210 million.

He was acutely aware of the excitement gripping his homeland at the time, explaining: “Yeah, I could feel it. I didn’t keep an eye on it, though. The next round [against Xintong] will be the same.”

Junhui is widely credited as the man who transformed snooker into a phenomenon in China, with 10 of his compatriots having started out at the Crucible.

Xintong is now the standard-bearer as reigning champion, and the pair share a close bond, with the elder of the two remarking: “I mean it’s hard to play a friend. All the players who know each other quite well and play together. It’s quite difficult to concentrate sometimes. We didn’t talk about it at the draw. We just had normal chat.

“He’s a very nice guy, a nice boy, always smiling and looks like he’s enjoying his snooker and his life. I think he’s found a balance quite well.

“I don’t think he needs it [advice]. He’s good enough, he’s got enough skills and experience, he wins a lot. He totally understands how to win. It’s backwards now, everybody to learn from him.

“We don’t see each other much because he is so busy on his tournament, so I only can see him on TV. I do like to watch him play. He plays a bit different than before when he played, he’s more improved. It’s like different snooker, I’m quite happy to see and to learn.”

Naturally, Xintong must now shoulder the burden of expectation that Junhui once carried as the leading figure, yet he observed: “He will feel a huge pressure. I think he will learn it quickly. He will know how to handle this and how to play out there.”

Junhui still places demands upon himself, though they weigh less heavily nowadays, as he conceded: “Hungry? I’m not feeling like that at the moment because I know I’ve not done very well this season.

“I’ve tried to find a balance with my practise. I’ve doing something else to improve my game, but it’s not that quick. I’ve just been waiting to play well, it looks like it’s working good.

“I don’t want to push myself hard. I always rush when I’m playing, it’s not the good way to go. I’ve not really felt the hunger, but then I looked at the draw and I see. Pressure, I still feel it, I still have it. I don’t know maybe that’s just from myself.”