The crowning of Zhao Xintong as Asia's first world snooker champion will have come as a surprise to many unfamiliar with the sport, who will have also been unaware of its vast popularity in China.

Zhao bounced back from a 20-month ban over a match-fixing scandal to become China's first snooker world champion.

Zhao Xintong's stunning World Snooker Championship triumph went viral back home on Tuesday with trailblazer Ding Junhui leading the tributes to China's latest sporting superstar.The 28-year-old Zhao became the first Asian to win the prestigious title with an 18-12 victory over Mark Williams in the final at the Crucible in Sheffield on Monday.