Why claims Zhao Xintong could dominate snooker are 'nonsense', as Alan McManus pinpoints Judd Trump trait that world champion is missing
By Leon Imber
Published 04/12/2025 at 18:27 GMT
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Alan McManus has pinpointed one Judd Trump trait he feels Zhao Xintong is missing, which leads him to believe there is "no chance" the world champion can dominate snooker for years to come. Zhao was defeated 6-2 and outclassed by compatriot Zhang Anda in the last 16 of the UK Championship on Thursday, paying the price for some critical mistakes which allowed his opponent to pounce.
Why McManus feels there is 'no chance' Zhao could dominate snooker
Video credit: TNT Sports
TNT Sports expert Alan McManus said any claims that Zhao Xintong could dominate snooker were "nonsense", and noted one key Judd Trump trait he feels the world champion is missing.
Zhao was defeated 6-2 by Zhang Anda in the UK Championship last 16 on Thursday; the world champion punished for some key mistakes, which were duly pounced on by his opponent - who ran home two impressive centuries before impressive breaks of 87, 69 and 73.
The 28-year-old, who made history by becoming China's first-ever world champion in Sheffield earlier this year, was noticeably struggling with his typically strong long game, and often found himself a victim to the tight pockets at this year's tournament.
McManus felt Zhao's brand of attacking snooker was not conducive to the conditions at York Barbican, but said his shortcomings in Thursday's afternoon session highlighted a glaring issue in the world champion's game.
"I've heard some comments recently that this guy could dominate the game. Nonsense; no chance," McManus said in the TNT Sports studio.
"You can't dominate playing that high-risk snooker that he plays, not when the pockets are that sharp, which they are this week.
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Zhang takes victory over Zhao after HUGE miss by world champion - 'Not at the races'
Video credit: TNT Sports
"You have to balance your game. When he's at his best, or near his best, he's out of this world and I'm his biggest fan. But behind that, you have to knuckle down a little bit."
McManus praised Zhang for his "brilliant" performance.
"He did his job," the TNT Sports expert said, but felt Zhao "has to be better" than his display - and feels there is a key trait missing from his game which he could learn from world No. 1 Trump.
"It's admirable that Xintong plays the way he plays," McManus added. "But Judd Trump plays with intensity you sometimes need out there. You certainly need a degree of it, and he doesn't.
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"It's admirable; he can bounce around the table, out for a stroll. You have to be a wee bit more hard than that - for want of a better word. He's not that way."
McManus added: "He's going to have to find a way to be more intense at the table. He missed too many shots that were bog-standard. We want to see attacking snooker, but he's got to be better in a couple of departments.
"When he missed today, a few times, he walked back to his chair like 'oh well, one of those days'. No, no, no, it's not one of those days. Judd Trump's intensity is the lesson, and he's not learning his lesson."
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Zhang knocks back-to-back centuries with 'best snooker we've seen throughout the tournament'
Video credit: TNT Sports
Zhao: 'Today was not for me'
In his post-match interview with TNT Sports, Zhao was full of praise for Zhang, but felt he did not play to his own standard.
"Today I played not well, but I think today was not for me," Zhao said. "Anda played really well. He gave me pressure, didn't miss many shots, and played really well."
Zhao added: "I’m okay, you can’t win every match, so I feel good.
"He played really well. He made two centuries and cleared the table. The pockets were so tight, but he played really well."
Steven Hallworth, who joined McManus in the studio to dissect the afternoon's action, felt Zhao's response to the defeat was "quite worrying to hear".
"If I missed some of the balls he missed today, if I was world champion, I'd be sick to my stomach because you shouldn't be missing those kind of chances," Hallworth said.
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'Goodness me' - Zhang benefits from big fluke in early stages against Zhao
Video credit: TNT Sports
"At this level, you can't afford to make those mistakes. You have to go away and look in the mirror, and say today just wasn't good enough."
Hallworth refuted the suggestion that Zhao's performance was "reckless", and compared Zhao's all-or-nothing style to that of 2025 Masters champion Shaun Murphy.
"On a day when Zhao Xintong is knocking in that type of shot, he wins convincingly," Hallworth said.
"On another day, at this level, against the quality of players he's playing, he's just going to get punished.
"Similarly to the aggression of Shaun Murphy, when those balls are going in, he very rarely loses. Today there were too many unforced errors."
In his interview, Zhao confirmed he would be participating in the upcoming Shoot Out and Scottish Open.
Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season, including the UK Championship, live on TNT Sports and discovery+Â
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