Zhao Xintong stands on the brink of snooker history at the Crucible Theatre, leading Mark Williams 17-8 going into the final session of the World Championship final.
The 28-year-old Chinese star is just one frame away from becoming the first player from his country to claim the sport's most prestigious title.
His remarkable run comes after serving a 20-month ban from the sport.
Zhao was one of ten Chinese players caught in a match-fixing scandal that rocked the sport in 2023.
Zhao Xintong was banned from snooker for 20 months after match-fixing
PAThe World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) charged him with offences related to match fixing.
At the time, he was the 2021 UK Championship winner and ranked ninth in the world.
His suspension meant he lost his professional status and had to qualify for this year's championship as an amateur.
Specifically, Zhao pleaded guilty to betting on matches and being aware that another player was throwing games for money.
The WPBSA found him guilty of match manipulation and betting between 2019 and 2022, but crucially, exonerated him of actively fixing his own matches.
He admitted to assisting another player in rigging two matches involving Yan Bingtao in March 2022.
Zhao also admitted to betting on multiple matches between September 2019 and December 2022.
His 20-month ban was reduced from an initial 30 months because he pleaded guilty and cooperated with the investigation.
The WPBSA disciplinary committee noted that Zhao expressed "genuine remorse for his actions" and did not have a betting account of his own.
Zhao's journey back to competitive snooker began on the amateur Q Tour in September, where he won tournaments in Manchester, Sweden, Austria, and Belgium.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan was thrashed by Zhao Xintong in the semi-finalReutersHe qualified for the UK Championship but lost to Shaun Murphy in the opening round.
At the Crucible, he defeated last year's runner-up Jak Jones before producing a stunning 17-7 victory against his idol Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semi-final.
O'Sullivan has been a long-time admirer of Zhao, once describing him as "the Roger Federer of snooker" in a 2019 interview.
The seven-time world champion had even been practising with Zhao before the tournament.
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Zhao Xintong could become the first Chinese player to win the World Snooker ChampionshipReutersAfter his defeat, O'Sullivan suggested Zhao deserved forgiveness, saying: "I think it was unfortunate for some of the boys. I think they wasn't really involved in it from what I gather."
"Two years ago I made a little mistake and now I come back, so I know how important snooker is for me," Zhao told the BBC after his ban.
"These two years have been very long for me, I've practised every day. I knew I would come back so I need to keep confident in myself."
"I want to come back to the snooker table and get trophies. These are very big lessons for me, it makes me appreciate snooker more."
