Zhao Xintong Wins 2026 Players Championship — Beats John Higgins 10-7 in Telford Final
Zhao Xintong produced a masterclass finish to claim his second consecutive ranking title of the season, defeating John Higgins 10-7 in the final of the 2026 Sportsbet.io Players Championship at the Telford International Centre on Sunday, February 22. The Chinese world champion delivered a devastating run of four frames in a row from 6-7 down to seal a dominant victory and pocket the £150,000 top prize — leaving a gracious Higgins to describe the final three frames as "poetry in motion."
Players Championship Snooker Final Score: Zhao Xintong 10-7 John Higgins
Zhao's win was his fifth career ranking title and moves him to a career-high world ranking of number five. It also extends his perfect record in finals — five wins from five appearances at ranking level. Coming just two weeks after his World Grand Prix triumph in Hong Kong, Zhao becomes the first double ranking event winner of the 2025/26 snooker season, and now heads into the World Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield in April as the red-hot favourite to defend his crown.
How the Players Championship Final Unfolded
| Session | Score | Key Moments |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoon Session Frame 1-2 | Higgins 2-0 | Higgins takes early control |
| Afternoon Session Frames 3-4 | 2-2 | Zhao levels with breaks of 62, 61 |
| Frame 7 | Zhao leads 4-3 | 81 break for Zhao, leads for first time |
| Frame 8 (final afternoon frame) | 4-4 | Higgins levels with break of 90 |
| Evening Session Frames 9-12 | Cagey — 6-6 | Multiple errors from both; 88 and 83 from Zhao |
| Frame 13 | Higgins leads 7-6 | Higgins pinches on the black |
| Frame 14 | 7-7 | Zhao draws level |
| Frame 15 | Zhao leads 8-7 | Zhao's first century of the final — 104 |
| Frame 16 | Zhao leads 9-7 | Back-to-back centuries — 126 |
| Frame 17 | Zhao wins 10-7 | Silky 92 finishes the job |
Higgins made the early running, winning the opening two frames before Zhao settled. The match was tightly fought throughout the afternoon and into the evening, with both players guilty of unforced errors and long tactical exchanges. At 7-6 to Higgins, the final appeared in the balance. Then Zhao flicked a switch. Three frames in a row, including two centuries of 104 and 126, put the Cyclone in total command, before a stylish 92 clinched the title.
What Zhao Xintong and John Higgins Said
Zhao told Channel 5 after the match: "This week I played not really good, but tonight, the last three frames, I played really nice. That gave me a lot of confidence in the later matches. Even though my opponents were very strong, I felt I could beat them. This result is something really special for me."
A gracious Higgins paid an extraordinary tribute, saying: "The last three frames were absolutely poetry in motion. I couldn't pot a long ball all day, and Zhao doesn't really miss any long balls. My kids are lucky to see someone like him. He is an absolute genius."
Zhao Xintong's Road to the Players Championship Final
The world champion's route to the title was far from straightforward. He was famously 5-2 down to Elliot Slessor in the first round before staging a remarkable comeback, and also trailed Mark Allen 5-4 before winning the deciding frame in the semi-final.
| Round | Zhao's Result |
|---|---|
| First Round | Beat Elliot Slessor 6-5 (from 2-5 down) |
| Quarter-Final | Beat Shaun Murphy 6-3 (breaks of 142, 118, 95) |
| Semi-Final | Beat Mark Allen 6-5 (deciding frame with break of 56) |
| Final | Beat John Higgins 10-7 |
John Higgins' Route to the Final
Higgins was not even supposed to be in the tournament — he only entered the top 16 field after Ronnie O'Sullivan withdrew. The four-time world champion appeared in his 60th career ranking event final, becoming the second-oldest man ever to reach a ranking final. He beat Chris Wakelin in the quarter-finals and produced a stunning victory over world number one Judd Trump in the semi-finals before running out of steam against Zhao.
| Round | Higgins' Result |
|---|---|
| Quarter-Final | Beat Chris Wakelin |
| Semi-Final | Beat Judd Trump 6-5 |
| Final | Lost to Zhao Xintong 7-10 |
Zhao Xintong's 2025/26 Season — A World Champion on Fire
| Tournament | Result |
|---|---|
| Riyadh Season Snooker Championship (Nov 2025) | Winner (non-ranking) |
| 2026 World Grand Prix, Hong Kong | Winner (ranking) |
| 2026 Players Championship, Telford | Winner (ranking) |
| 2026 World Championship, Sheffield (April) | Defending champion |
Zhao's century breaks at the Players Championship alone — 142, 140, 126, 118, 117, 104, and 103 — underline just how destructive his form has been. The next event on the snooker calendar is the 2026 Welsh Open, before the season culminates at the Crucible. On this evidence, stopping Zhao Xintong defending his world title is going to be a formidable task for anyone in the draw.
