Zhao Xintong of China competes during the final between Zhao Xintong of China and Judd Trump of England at the 2026 Snooker Tour Championship in Manchester, Britain, April 5, 2026. (Photo by Zhai Zheng/Xinhua)

China's snooker star Zhao Xintong beat world No.1 Judd Trump of England to win the 2026 Snooker Tour Championship in Manchester on Sunday, becoming the first player to sweep all three Players Series events in a single season. This latest victory has helped him rise to a career-high world ranking of fourth.

His 10-3 win over Trump on Sunday was widely expected to be a close contest. Instead, Zhao established control early and maintained it throughout, limiting Trump's opportunities and capitalizing on his own chances with efficiency.

Guo Ai, a sports commentator based in Beijing, told the Global Times that the 10-3 victory was notable not just for the margin, but for the manner in which it was achieved. Zhao controlled both the pace of play and scoring efficiency, pointing to a shift beyond relying on natural attacking flair toward a more complete, match-controlling style.

In Guo's view, the match can be summed up as Zhao giving his opponent little chance to compete. While Zhao led 5-3 after the first session, the real difference emerged in the second, during which he pulled away decisively. Zhao combined world-class scoring, including multiple 50-plus breaks, with smarter tactical play, knowing when to attack and when to manage the table. He remained composed throughout, a hallmark of top-level players, while Trump struggled more with Zhao's control of the game than with his own form.

By sweeping all three Players Series events - the World Grand Prix, Players Championship and Tour Championship - Zhao achieved something no player in snooker history had done before. That alone places the victory in rare air. But the deeper significance lies in how he did it.

Combined with his earlier World Snooker Championship title, the win signals a broader transition in his career. Rather than a short-term surge in form, Zhao is showing signs of sustained competitiveness at the highest level. "The result suggests not only that he can win, but that he is becoming increasingly difficult to beat," noted Guo. 

Zhao has now won his first six ranking finals, a feat previously achieved only by Steve Davis, Mark Williams and Neil Robertson. With six career ranking titles, he has achieved a new level on the all-time list with Ken Doherty, Stuart ­Bingham and Ali Carter, according to World Snooker Tour (WST).

The result also points to the possibility of a new phase in his career. As WST noted on its official Sina Weibo account on Monday, Zhao is "creating his own era." It also highlighted that the title was his sixth ranking crown, while maintaining a 100 percent record in ranking finals.

Guo also agreed with that assessment, calling Zhao the heir apparent of Chinese snooker. Guo noted that Zhao's immediate challenge is not simply adding more titles, but sustaining strong performances at the World Snooker Championship and maintaining that level of dominance over the next two to three seasons.

In the past, Chinese snooker stars like Ding Junhui have maintained high-level performance over many years, shaping a generation of players. Zhao's progress suggests a similarly promising future, said Guo.

"This win is very important for me. I didn't want to lose in the final. Next it's the World Championship and hopefully I can keep going," Zhao said after the match, according to WST.