{"id":7818,"date":"2026-04-23T16:38:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T16:38:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=7818"},"modified":"2026-04-23T16:38:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T16:38:36","slug":"steve-davis-insists-lion-king-reveals-winner-of-zhao-xintong-vs-ding-junhui","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=7818","title":{"rendered":"Steve Davis insists Lion King reveals winner of Zhao Xintong vs Ding Junhui"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Steve Davis says the Lion King tells the tale of an all-Chinese snooker match (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Steve Davis is backing Zhao Xintong to get the better of Ding Junhui in the second round of the World Snooker Championship, suggesting the Lion King tells you all you need to know about what will happen.<\/p>\n

The last 16 clash is an appealing clash between the relatively new superstar of Chinese snooker and the man who started the baize bonanza in the country.<\/p>\n

Ding\u2019s victory at the 2005 China Open, where at 17 years old he beat Stephen Hendry in the final, launched the Chinese snooker boom which ultimately led to Zhao winning the 2025 World Championship.<\/p>\n

On his eighth birthday, Zhao watched Ding lift that trophy and that inspired him to pursue a career with a cue, which took him all the way to the pinnacle of the sport last year.<\/p>\n

While Ding has enjoyed an incredible career, winning 15 ranking titles, he has not landed the World Championship, with Zhao becoming the first Crucible king from China when he beat Mark Williams 12 months ago.<\/p>\n

They meet this year in Sheffield with Zhao the hot favourite to, not only beat Ding, but go on and defend his world title.<\/p>\n

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You’re in the right place. I’m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for Metro<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In my new newsletter, The Table, I’ll be analysing the biggest talking points, breaking down frames and crowning the week’s winners and losers every Monday.<\/p>\n

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Phil has been reporting on snooker for over a decade, since working in World Snooker’s press office in 2012<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Six-time world champion Davis thinks the Cyclone will down the Dragon and suggested the story is set out in the Lion King.<\/p>\n

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Ding Junhui and Zhao Xintong at the media day ahead of the World Championship (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Fantastic they\u2019re playing each other. I\u2019m not too sure who\u2019s going to be the most positive going into the match really,\u2019 Davis said on the BBC.<\/p>\n

\u2018I feel like Xintong\u2019s going to win. Just watch the film Lion King, that\u2019s what happens.\u2019<\/p>\n

How this analogy works is a little unclear. Is Zhao the villainous Scar slaying the noble Mufasa? Or is he the heroic Simba taking vengeance on Scar?<\/p>\n

Either way, the world champ is taking down a lion and that lion is Ding Junhui.<\/p>\n

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Zhao got the better of Ding earlier this season (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Speaking on Stephen Hendry\u2019s Cue Tips, Davis said of the contest: \u2018Now I think Xintong beats Ding Junhui all day long.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think a mental shift would have happened in China. I don\u2019t think Ding Junhui, even as the underdog, would play well against Xintong.<\/p>\n

\u2018I would imagine that there\u2019s something going on there, where everybody knows now who\u2019s the master. That\u2019s nothing against Ding Junhui.\u2019<\/p>\n

The pair have met six times as professionals, but only once since 2019, with Zhao winning 6-1 at the Shanghai Masters last year.<\/p>\n

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