Snooker’s elite head to Leicester’s Mattioli Arena to compete in the Champion of Champions and Aaron Ashley thinks a Chinese cueman can win the illustrious prize for the first time.
This is an invitational tournament consisting of 16 players that have won a significant title since the previous year’s event and that has led to a star-studded field.
This has been an annual fixture on the professional circuit since 2013 and Ronnie O’Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Judd Trump, Shaun Murphy and defending champion Mark Selby are all former winners of the event taking part again.
Five players from the world’s top 16 are set to miss out on the Champion of Champions, with the highest ranked being world number six John Higgins, with past winners Mark Williams and Mark Allen also absent.
Xiao Guodong and Ding Junhui are the other members from snooker’s elite ranking bracket that have failed to qualify, but there is a strong Chinese representation with Zhao Xintong, Wu Yize and Chang Bingyu all making the trip.
Kyren Wilson, winner of back-to-back ranking titles at the Northern Ireland Open and International Championship, is the form man right now and will be hoping to maintain his dominant spell.
Champion of Champions Tips Summary
Best Bet - Zhao Xintong to win Champion of Champions @ 4/1
Alternative Bet - Wu Yize to win Champion of Champions @ 15/2
Champion of Champions Prediction
Best Bet: Zhao Xintong to win Champion of Champions @ 4/1
It is essentially a straight knockout but the 16 players have been split into four quarters of the draw with two last 16 matches taking place in the afternoon and the winners returning for a quarter-final clash in the evening.
The four remaining players advance to the semi-final and some have easier groups than others.
Zhao Xintong has struggled for consistency since finishing runner-up to Bingyu at the Wuhan Open in August but he is a big-stage player and will be spurred on by beating the best to such a lucrative prize.
Zhao conquered the Crucible in 2025, becoming the first Chinese world champion ever, and he is also a former UK Championship winner.
An opening-round clash with Thepchaiya Un-Nooh should hold no fears and it could be a good time to face Wilson, providing he comes past Ali Carter, in the quarter-final.
The Warrior has had a draining schedule and he made it back-to-back ranking title wins, with his victory at the International Championship in China coming on the back of success at the Northern Ireland Open.
Winning three titles on the bounce with the competition so fierce is virtually unheard of and that gives Zhao excellent claims of easing through to the latter stages.
Defending champion Selby, six-time finalist Trump and two-time winner Robertson are all housed in the top half of the draw, which may also open things up for Zhao.
A semi-finalist last year, Zhao looks primed to go that bit further.
Alternative Bet: Wu Yize to win Champion of Champions @ 15/2
Last year, a season after Zhao broke China’s Crucible curse, Wu Yize followed in his footsteps to claim his maiden World Championship crown and it may not be long before players from Asia are completely dominant.
Wu won the Shenzhen Open in October to show that there was no fluke surrounding his Sheffield success and he could have a leading role to play in Leicester.
There is nothing easy about a first-round clash with fellow countryman Chang Bingyu but coming through that would be a huge boost for confidence.
Winning that would see Wu face Murphy or O’Sullivan but that may not be as daunting as it first appears.
Murphy was beaten 4-2 by Liam Davies in the first round of Northern Ireland Open when last in action, while O’Sullivan has lost his last three matches and only qualified as a result of claiming the World Seniors Championship title.
Able to deliver under the maximum of pressure, Wu may be able to show why he is the reigning world champion.
Key Tournament Stats
O’Sullivan is the most decorated player in the tournament’s history, winning four titles and twice finishing runner-up
Trump has made the final in six of the last 12 years, finishing runner-up in three of the last four stagings
Robertson was crowned champion in 2015 and 2019
Wilson, runner-up to O’Sullivan in 2018, is on a 12-match winning streak
Zhao Xintong has won seven of the eight finals that he has contested
Wu Yize has won his last three ranking event finals
Read more snooker betting tips and predictions on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
