Zhao Xintong’s Meteoric Rise Sparks O’Sullivan Comparisons — But McManus Urges Caution
TNT Sports pundit Alan McManus has urged caution amid growing comparisons between China’s new world champion Zhao Xintong and seven-time great Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Zhao’s rapid rise has made him the standout figure of the current season. The 28-year-old underlined his status as snooker’s man of the moment by claiming the Players Championship title in Telford with a 10–7 victory over John Higgins. That success followed his recent World Grand Prix triumph, sealing back-to-back ranking event wins — a rare feat at the elite level.
His fluent, attacking style and effortless cue action have inevitably drawn parallels with O’Sullivan, long regarded as the sport’s most naturally gifted player. Zhao’s landmark victory at the 2025 World Championship, where he defeated O’Sullivan en route to the title, further fuelled the excitement. He became the first Chinese player to win the sport’s most prestigious crown and only the third qualifier to lift the trophy at the Crucible, cementing his place in history.
Yet McManus believes perspective is essential. While acknowledging Zhao possesses that indefinable star quality — “whatever that thing is, he’s got it” — the Scot warned against being swept up by recency bias. O’Sullivan’s legacy has been built over decades of sustained brilliance, and McManus stressed that comparisons at this early stage may be premature.
Zhao’s resurgence is all the more remarkable given his 20-month absence from the sport before earning a return to the professional tour. Since coming back, he has rediscovered the form that once brought him the UK Championship title and has surged to fifth in the world rankings.
With another major defence looming and confidence clearly flowing, Zhao’s story is still being written. For now, he is snooker’s brightest star — but whether he can match O’Sullivan’s enduring greatness remains a question only time can answer.
