Can Zhao Xintong break snooker's 'Crucible curse'?

Zhao Xintong made history in 2025 by becoming the first player from China to win the men's World Snooker Championship. But defending his title could be an even more impressive feat.

Since 1977, when Sheffield's Crucible Theatre became the home of the World Snooker Championship, no first-time champion has gone on to retain their title the following year. Some of the sport's most famous names, including Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor, have even gone out in the first round of their first title defence.

Can Zhao Xintong break this "Crucible curse"? He's arguably the top player in the world right now, racking up a string of dominant victories over the likes of Judd Trump and John Higgins, but will that form hold up in snooker's most famous arena?

Chris Hammer, who covers snooker for Sporting Life in the UK, talks to More than the Score's Maz Farookhi about what sets the Crucible apart from other venues, and why the unique challenges of the World Championship format provide such a stern examination of players' skill, confidence and concentration. He also discusses Zhao's standing in the game right now, and why snooker's traditional heartlands in the UK are struggling to produce young players to compete with China's growing ranks of superstars.

Maz is also joined by Mike Chan of the South China Morning Post, who talks about what Zhao's triumph in the 2025 World Championship meant for snooker in China, and assesses his chances at this year's tournament.

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