Chinese snooker player Zhao Xintong lines up a shot on December 5, 2021 in York, England. Photo: VCG

China's professional snooker player Zhao Xintong is being seen by many of the sport's fans as an emerging star with incredible gifts after beating Belgium's Luca Brecel to win the UK Championship crown on Sunday in York. 

The 24-year-old player finished Sunday's match 10-5 to become the second player from China to pin down a Triple Crown title after fellow player Yan Bingtao won the Masters earlier in 2021. 

"It was the biggest match for me and it was my first time, so I tried my best because it was Luca. I feel very, very happy now. I am very excited," Zhao told the media after the competition.

Zhao, 24, played his best snooker in York as he edged four-time world champion John Higgins 6-5 in the third round before sweeping Jack Lisowski and Barry Hawkins to reach the final.

"I think this could be my new start, I can have more confidence to win more tournaments. I trust I can do it because it was my first time in the final and I won the trophy," Zhao was quoted by the World Snooker Tour website.

"I don't think I've seen someone play so good for so long, he just played the same the whole way through and was just amazing," commented Brecel on Zhao's performance.

Zhao Xintong celebrates with the trophy on December 5, 2021 in York, England. Photo: VCG

Zhao's success has lifted his ranking up to ninth from 26th and not only qualifies him for the Masters tournament in London in January, but also makes him the youngest player in the past three decades to win this major UK title. 

As the "new kid in town," Zhao's new record, along with wins by Yan and Chinese pioneering snooker ­player Ding Junhui, has made China even more of a powerhouse in the sport. The Guardian called it "a seismic shift in the sport's balance of power." 

"It was a night when dreams become reality. I saw he was surpassing his opponent so calmly, I couldn't believe he was only 24," Da Ding, a snooker fan in Chongqing, told the Global Times. 

His performance has also stunned veterans such as Ronnie O'Sullivan and Steve Davis, who called Zhao an extremely gifted player with huge potential. 

O'Sullivan dubbed him the "­Federer of Snooker." 

"If Zhao can use this as a springboard, he can really force his way into the game strongly," six-time world champion Davis told BBC Two. 

The young talent is also the fourth non-British winner of the UK snooker event.