For two of China’s brightest young talents, the snooker World Cup will always bring rich and fond memories.
With the curtain-raiser for this year’s competition in Wuxi due on Monday, it’s a fitting time to take a look back at the event in Thailand two years ago when Zhou Yuelong (17) and Yan Bingtao (15) captured the hearts and imagination of the snooker world.
This was fairytale stuff of the highest proportion as the China B team performed way above expectation to come through the field and lift the title.
Going into this tournament, there was never any doubting these two teenagers had glittering potential. After all, they were already both former world amateur champions. But this age-defying triumph will forever be a defining moment in their careers and undeniable proof they were both young sensations on the baize.
Positive perspective
In the final, Zhou and Yan scored an impressive 4-1 win against Scotland’s experienced duo of John Higgins and Stephen Maguire. And to put the unlikeliness of the win into perspective, it’s worth considering that the Chinese pair had a combined age younger than each of the Scots individually.
With youth comes fearlessness, naturally and this was ultimate proof of that. Even as Zhou stroked in the final balls for victory against Higgins, he did it with complete composure. Perhaps at that age you can find a way to block out the fact that you’re playing a £120,000 top prize.
But this ability to take it in their stride doesn’t mean the teenagers were not aware of the size of the achievement. Zhou sealed the title and was smothered by euphoria. In a quite unlikely likely celebration, he reached out to Higgins for a hug.
I dare say Higgins hasn’t hugged his opponent after too many defeats, but he had a smile on his face and looked genuinely pleased for them. After all, this isn’t something that happens every day. This was big!
Fulfilling talent
To the wider snooker world, this success really put these players on the map.
It’s a real testament to both their talents that they have both gone on to back up the potential they showed here with positive results aplenty on the professional tour.
In the two years since they won the tournament, they have both been climbing the world rankings at an admirable pace. Zhou is up to number 31 and Yan sits comfortably at 56 after just one year on the circuit.
To add to this steady progress, they both qualified through to the World Championship at The Crucible last season and the future certainly looks bright for them both.
Now as we prepare for the next installment of World Cup history to be written, it’s a good time reminisce and who knows, perhaps another historic tournament is waiting for us.
Relive Zhou and Yan’s win…
