Controversial snooker star Zhao Xintong reveals he had major surgery during ban as he eyes World Championship crown

AMATEUR ace Zhao Xintong has set his sights on a controversial Crucible crown – thanks to eye surgery.
The day after three-time world champion potter
1
Zhao Xintong has revealed he has had a major eye surgery
Credit: Alamy
Xintong, 28, is third favourite for the title – at odds of 9-2 – behind
Yet the elephant in the room is the 20-month suspension he served after he was done for betting breaches in a
Xintong hit a 142 in frame five of
'But I kept practising and I had laser surgery because although I won the UK Championship and the German Masters, I could not see properly.
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'Now I can see everything and I think I'm stronger than I was two years ago.
'I'm very happy [that people say I can win it] but I will just try my best. I've played four qualifying matches so it gives me some confidence.'
Jones, 31, said: 'Xintong is a top-16 player who played the qualifiers and you could see it in his sharpness.
'He put me under so much pressure and he will be hard to stop.
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'I don't see anyone who's playing better than him. His long potting is good, his scoring is good, and he's good tactically.
'I don't see anyone better than him in this tournament.'
FOLLOW ALL THE ACTION FROM THE CRUCIBLE WITH OUR WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 BLOG HERE
Higgins breaks down
No.8 seed Mark Allen made round two for the 14th time in 19 appearances as he beat qualifier Fan Zhengyi 10-6, having been 3-0 behind.
The Pistol, who hit breaks of 105 and 102, now faces Chris Wakelin on Thursday afternoon.
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 - with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
1969 - John Spencer
1970 -
1971 - John Spencer
1972 - Alex Higgins
1973 - Ray Reardon (2)
1974 - Ray Reardon (3)
1975 - Ray Reardon (4)
1976 - Ray Reardon (5)
1977 - John Spencer (2)
1978 - Ray Reardon (6)
1979 - Terry Griffiths
1980 - Cliff Thorburn
1981 -
1982 - Alex Higgins (2)
1983 - Steve Davis (2)
1984 - Steve Davis (3)
1985 -
1986 - Joe Johnson
1987 - Steve Davis (4)
1988 - Steve Davis (5)
1989 - Steve Davis (6)
1990 -
1991 - John Parrott
1992 - Stephen Hendry (2)
1993 - Stephen Hendry (3)
1994 - Stephen Hendry (4)
1995 - Stephen Hendry (5)
1996 - Stephen Hendry (6)
1997 -
1998 -
1999 - Stephen Hendry (7)
2000 -
2001 -
2002 -
2003 - Mark Williams (2)
2004 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)
2005 - Shaun Murphy
2006 - Graeme Dott
2007 - John Higgins (2)
2008 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)
2009 - John Higgins (3)
2010 - Neil Robertson
2011 - John Higgins (4)
2012 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (4)
2013 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (5)
2014 -
2015 -
2016 - Mark Selby (2)
2017 - Mark Selby (3)
2018 - Mark Williams (3)
2019 -
2020 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (6)
2021 - Mark Selby (4)
2022 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (7)
2023 -
2024 -
Most World Titles
(modern era)
7 - Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan
6 - Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
4 - John Higgins, Mark Selby
3 - John Spencer, Mark Williams
2 - Alex Higgins

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