Stephen Hendry's rant speaks volumes as Zhao Xintong ready to blow £500k prize money

With Zhao Xintong £500,000 richer thanks to his World Snooker Championship triumph, the Chinese ace may need to heed Stephen Hendry's warning not to let one's eye off the ball. China's phenom battled through the Crucible field as an amateur on his way to the final, having only recently returned from a 20-month ban relating to offences surrounding match fixing, which saw nine other countrymen suspended.

Zhao tore apart a hearty Mark Williams in the showpiece to make history, becoming the first world champion from Asia, and he took home half a million pounds for his exploits. While the 28-year-old's agent has vowed to keep him grounded in light of this influx of cash, Zhao has now come clean about what he may now shell out on: watches.

Should he choose to spend a chunk of his Crucible prize on luxury items, he wouldn't be the first world champion to do so. Luca Brecel became infamous for his immediate purchase of high-end vehicles after his 2023 success, warranting a warning from seven-time world champion Hendry, which could apply to Zhao.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Zhao admitted that he had not yet considered what he would spend his winnings on, though he revealed: "But I do like watches, different brands, too."

Before this, his agent, Victoria Shi, claimed she would let the potter enjoy his winnings but keep him level-headed with his new world champion moniker looming overhead.

"Let him enjoy [the prize money]," she admitted. "But if he enjoys it too much, I will tell him off. He is the first Asian world champion, and that is huge. But it is my job to make sure he stays grounded."

One Crucible victor who debatably failed to stay grounded was Belgian Brecel. After he tasted glory in Sheffield against Mark Selby two years ago, the 30-year-old hit a torrid run of form. This drew the wrath of Hendry, whose warning of not losing one's head among the possibilities of Crucible riches, Zhao and his connections may look to take on board.

"The way he [Brecel] won the World Championship, the undoubted talent that he's got, I realise he wasn't a prolific winner, but he's hardly won a match since he won the World Championship," said the Scotsman last year. "What I'm questioning is what he's doing with his career. Does he still want to play snooker? Is he putting the work in? You can say it's a tough sport, but you've got to give the game a bit of respect. Is snooker a priority in his life?"

Brecel himself opened up about his drop in form and claimed that his hunger was lost after his title win, which prize he used to splash out on fancy cars and lush holidays, a poor illustration of how Zhao likely wishes to act.

"I went from a millionaire to a non-millionaire," Brecel said on his spending spree. "It was a conscious decision to buy the cars and maybe feel that bit of pressure again, to recreate the feeling I had of just starting my career.

"I didn't go lazy, but I just didn't feel that hunger or motivation going from tournament to tournament. I don't like that feeling, and I had to change something. I wasn't feeling any pressure anymore. I was just playing, and if I lost, I was happy to be home. It's not a good mindset to have."