Chinese snooker players Zhao Xintong (left) and Yan Bingtao pose for photos after the final of the 2022 German Masters on January 30, 2022 in Berlin, Germany. Photo: VCG

Chinese players have long been tipped to dominate snooker and Ronnie O'Sullivan has long been the country's biggest cheerleader.

"The Rocket" did so again after defeat to Chinese youngster Fan Zhengyi in the BetVictor European Masters.

Fan edged the match 10-9 to get his first tour title and O'Sullivan was gracious in defeat.

"He was the better player all day, deserved his victory," O'Sullivan said. What's more, the Englishman pointed to the talent coming from China - comparing the young snooker stars to the "Big Three" of tennis.

"I think they're all being inspired by each other at the moment, you've got [Yan] Bingtao, [Zhao] Xintong, this lad [Zhengyi] here, there's a couple more," O'Sullivan said.

"They're pushing each other on a bit like Federer, Djokovic and Nadal have done, they all work hard because they know the competition's that good.

"Great for Chinese snooker, great for these young guys, great for snooker and pleasure to watch and a pleasure to play a future world champion today."

Fan is not the first Chinese player that O'Sullivan has called a "future world champion."

He did the same for Yan last year after the then 20-year-old beat John Higgins in the Masters final to win his first triple crown event.

"I'll be very surprised if he doesn't win at least one or two world titles," O'Sullivan said on Eurosport after the 2021 Masters final, which Yan sealed with a comeback win over the veteran Scottish snooker star.

"We've seen him do it under extreme pressure, you need to perform under pressure to win at the Crucible, I just think he's going to get stronger and stronger and it'll bring other players through."

O'Sullivan also compared Yan to the greats of the sport. "It's like when [Stephen] Hendry come along, them type of players - John Higgins, Mark Williams, you thought, 'This could go on for a while.'"

The Englishman went further - comparing a young Yan to golf great Tiger Woods.

"I remember seeing him when he was about 14 in China and you take notice and think, 'Who is this guy?' He was a boy, but played snooker like a man," he told British media. "Tiger Woods, when he was 17, he had no respect for the rest, he just wanted to play golf and it was about him and the club and the ball."

Higgins too backed Yan to be a world champion.

"He could definitely be world champion, without a shadow of a doubt. China's very lucky to have Yan as a player," the veteran said. "He's going to be around maybe longer than I've been around in the game. As I say, he's about the same age as my boy so good luck to him."

Snooker's stars seem unanimous in thinking that the next generation will be from China. "Well done Bingtao! Very important that China had a big breakthrough after Ding and the massive investment they have put into the young players," then world No.2 Neil Robertson wrote on Twitter. Robertson had seen Yan up close as he beat him in the first round of the 2021 Masters.

"Unbelievable attitude towards the game and deserves everything out of the game."

Ding Junhui - China's biggest snooker star - has done everything but win the world championship and it seems that the pioneer might not becoming the first Chinese player to be crowned world champion.

Fan just beat O'Sullivan in his first ranking final appearance and he beat his idol to become the fifth player from the Chinese mainland to lift a tour title following Ding, Liang Wenbo, Yan and Zhao. Like Fan, Zhao won his first ranking title this season with the UK Championship. He followed that up by hammering compatriot Yan 9-0 in the final of the German Masters in Berlin.

"It was a surprise for me tonight. I couldn't believe the scoreline was so one-sided. Bingtao is a good player and we know each other so well. I didn't believe I could win 9-0, but I did it," Zhao told World Snooker of that shock success.

Fan's win over O'Sullivan was an even bigger shock. 

"Fan is a fantastic player, brilliant. He played some great safety, great break building, amazing pots, good under pressure," O'Sullivan said of his opponent after Fan won.

The Chinese cuesmith also had kind words for his idol.

"Just playing Ronnie in the final was a dream come true. He is every Chinese player's idol, even Zhao Xintong and Yan because he is so generous to us. I was so happy just to learn something from him," Fan told the media.

Fan then took to Weibo to thank his fans and family - and point out that he has proved the doubters wrong.

"Many people said that Fan ­Zhengyi is not suitable for playing professional snooker, but I have always believed that I can do it, and I never doubt it. Today I have made it and finally achieved my dream," he wrote in his post.

"Thank you to my family for always supporting me, to the fans who stayed up late to cheer me on, and to my idol, Ronnie, a great opponent. I will continue to work hard."

The hard work might be ahead for Fan and the like, less so O'Sullivan - who was playing in a record 60th ranking final. The Englishman said he is trying to enjoy snooker as much as he can.

"If I play rubbish, I get a bit down on myself but I'm a lot better at taking poor performances than I used to be. It's a pleasure to play new talent, these guys are taking the game on to the next level. I can't pot like these guys, it's frightening.

"Chinese snooker do a fantastic job, it's a shame the UK can't copy the format. We're going to get left behind, it would be a shame because we've had a lot of British players and European players.

"If we don't do something about grassroots snooker it'll be like table tennis, they'll be batting us off the park."

O'Sullivan is chasing Hendry's record seven world title wins next month, Chinese snooker will settle for a first.