Snooker star has curse on opponents that even Ronnie O'Sullivan couldn't shake

It's no secret that sportsmen, particularly snooker players, are a superstitious bunch. Some might have a lucky waistcoat, chalk or even cue, but there has so far been no antidote to this unusual snooker curse.

All snooker fanatics will be aware of the 'Crucible Curse'. The so-called hex has seen every maiden world champion since 1977 fail to defend their Crucible crown, with Zhao Xintong having won in Sheffield for the first time earlier this year.

We'll have to wait until next spring to see if Zhao can break the curse, but it's the world champion's compatriot, Ding Junhui, who appears to be casting a spell right now. The 'Ding Junhui Curse', as it's come to be known, has seen any player who beats the Chinese potter in a major professional tournament dumped out in the following round.

It's a run that stretches back way over a year, with it having started at the Players Championship in February 2024. And the craziest part about it, most of snooker's big hitters have fallen foul of the curious curse.

John Higgins became the first victim 18 months ago, with the likes of Judd Trump, Mark Selby, Mark Williams, Shaun Murphy (twice), Mark Allen, Luca Brecel and even Ronnie O'Sullivan having been caught out by it. The most recent example came at the Shanghai Masters, when Zhao was eliminated from the competition by Kyren Wilson.

Zhao had defeated his countryman in the earlier round - a result that likely sealed his future fate. Wilson went on to win the Shanghai Masters and was quizzed about the curse during his post-win interview.

He said: "I did hear about the curse. It's a mad stat. Maybe Ding Junhui is so good he takes it out of you when you beat him. Who knows? It's a crazy stat. I am sure Ding enjoys it."

The crazy phenomenon will no doubt serve to boost the sport's standing in China, with snooker's popularity continuing to grow in the nation. On the emergence of Chinese stars, Wilson added: "It seems to be getting bigger and bigger every year. Off the back of Zhao Xintong winning the World Championship, there seems to be more of an air of expectation around snooker now and a bit more of a boom in the market."