'A phenomenal talent' – Matthew Selt on why Zhao Xintong can succeed Ding Junhui as China's new UK champion

Updated 01/12/2021 at 09:16 GMT

Matthew Selt completed the finest win of his career with a 6-3 win over Judd Trump in the UK Championship last 32. Selt faces Barry Hawkins for a quarter-final place on Thursday, but will keep an eye on Zhao Xintong when the Chinese player faces Peter Lines on Wednesday. Selt feels Zhao is destined for the very top of the game. Stream the UK Championship action live and on demand on discovery+

Zhao completes stunning win over Higgins

Zhao Xintong is "a phenomenal talent" who has the ability to succeed Ding Junhui as China's latest UK champion, according to Matthew Selt.

Selt completed "probably the best win" of his 14-year career with a 6-3 success against Judd Trump in the last 32 at the York Barbican on Tuesday to secure a meeting with Barry Hawkins in the fourth round on Thursday.

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Selt will keep his eye on the ball when the last 16 begins on Wednesday with world number 26 Zhao facing the evergreen Peter Lines as he continues his quest to emulate Ding's rousing triple title success at the UK Championship in 2005, 2009 and 2019.

24-year-old Zhao is the last Chinese player left in the tournament.

He compiled two century breaks and three 50 plus runs in an epic 6-5 win over Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the last 64 and a century and four 50 plus knocks in coming from 5-3 behind to defeat former UK winner John Higgins 6-5 in the last 32.

Zhao is bidding to improve on losing to world champion Mark Selby in the semi-finals of the 2018 China Championship, his best performance at a ranking event since turning professional in 2016.

"My favourite player from China is Xintong," Selt told Eurosport. "I think he is absolutely phenomenal. He is a special, special talent. You have Xintong, Yan Bingtao, Ding and Zhou Yuelong. They are all class acts and are all capable of winning events.

Zhao Xintong | Snooker | ESP Player Feature

Image credit: Getty Images

"It is only a matter of time before Xintong wins a big tournament.

"The younger guys like Yan and Xintong have more potential to win bigger events than Ding because they aren't under anywhere near as much pressure as Ding was when he started out.

I actually feel a bit sorry for Ding. I've known him since he was 15 and he came over to the UK. He's always been in the spotlight and has always been an amazing player, but I think the pressure has ultimately held him back from winning the World Championship, the biggest tournament there is.

"He's won everything else and it is no coincidence why he hasn't quite managed it at the Crucible. That is my view on it."

Selt feels Ding's 10-4 Masters victory against Marco Fu in 2011 provided the platform for Yan to complete a 10-8 win over John Higgins in January.

"Bingtao has come in underneath Ding. He's a young lad and a phenomenal player," opined Selt.

"Did you see his smile when he won the Masters? He was like a little kid who had been to a sweet shop and picked all the sweets he wanted. It was so nice to see.

"That can only be good for the game in China. I just hope that what has gone on doesn't set us back years because it is a hotbed of snooker."

Selt feels the global pandemic has illustrated why China is vital to the development of the sport with blue-chip events such as the International Championship, Shanghai Masters, China Championship, World Open and the China Open all put into cold storage due to Covid-19 restrictions.

"I think the global pandemic has highlighted how important China is to the game of snooker," said the Romford professional. "All the players on tour, every single player at one stage, has moaned about the travelling to China.

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"I think every single player now is missing it. It is a massive part of our careers and our job.

"I can't wait to get back out there."

Selt is hoping to continue his progress at the UK Championship after finishing with a glorious 128 break in usurping world number two Trump.

Hawkins is one of only five of the world's top 16 left in the last 16 alongside Ronnie O'Sullivan, Kyren Wilson, Jack Lisowski and Anthony McGill.

The draw has opened up for the rest of the field and Selt is relishing his meeting with former world finalist Hawkins.

“My confidence is really high, my game has been good for a while," commented the 2019 Indian Open champion, who is up to 28th in the latest provisional rankings. "I changed cue a year ago and since then I have been making a lot more 50s, 60s and frame winning breaks.

“I’m hoping it will be a good match in the next round, it is the last 16 of the UK Championship so regardless of who you play it is a big occasion, and Barry is a fantastic player.”