Whereas 2025 had its share of uncomfortable moments that we touched on final time, this 12 months in snooker additionally delivered loads to have fun.
From landmark achievements and emotional breakthroughs to veteran brilliance and unforgettable drama, the 12 months produced story traces that can be remembered lengthy after the ultimate balls have been potted.
As we proceed our annual end-of-year evaluate, listed here are the most important highs from 2025 that reminded us why snooker stays so compelling.
The Cyclone delivers for China
The second snooker has been ready twenty years for lastly arrived in 2025 with a first-ever Chinese language world champion being topped on the Crucible Theatre.
It wasn’t, as many would have fairly anticipated for almost all of that interval since 2005, the nation’s favorite cue artist Ding Junhui.
Nonetheless, Zhao Xintong may have develop into simply as large of a family identify together with his unimaginable run to victory on the World Championship this 12 months.
Zhao’s story arc is a sophisticated one and never with out its controversy following his involvement within the Chinese language match-fixing ring that despatched shockwaves by the game a couple of years in the past.
Making his comeback from that ban as an newbie, the 28 year-old dominated Q Tour to earn a spot as one of many top-up names within the 2025 World Championship qualifying draw.
Zhao duly emerged from all 4 rounds of the preliminary competitors earlier than coasting to the semi-finals, the place he wiped the ground of seven-time Crucible king Ronnie O’Sullivan.
An 18-12 overcome Mark Williams adopted within the last to spark jubilant scenes and the Chinese language flag being draped over his shoulders, all of the whereas fuelling a brand new period for snooker usually.
Fifty, not out
Talking of Williams, the Welshman might have missed out on a fourth world crown, however this 12 months he once more proved that he can combine it with the perfect on the earth.
Actually, all three gamers from the fabled Class of 1992 had moments of magic within the calendar 12 months throughout which they every turned 50.
Reaching the world last as a quinquagenarian may very well be considered adequate, however Williams was again in one other rating occasion last only a few months later.
In beating Shaun Murphy 10-3 on the Xi’an Grand Prix last, Williams duly turned the oldest rating occasion winner within the historical past of the sport.
Earlier within the 12 months, John Higgins returned to the champion’s circle at a rating occasion for the primary time in 4 years together with his glory on the World Open.
The Scot adopted it up simply a short while after with a good higher success, beating Mark Selby in a detailed last in Manchester to say the distinguished Tour Championship title.
Ronnie O’Sullivan, in the meantime, wasn’t fairly in a position so as to add to his document tally of 41 rating titles – his finest show coming on the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters the place he was pipped within the last in a deciding-frame thriller by Neil Robertson.
Within the semi-finals of that match, nonetheless, the Rocket produced presumably one of many performances of his complete profession in making two most breaks in the identical session in opposition to Chris Wakelin.
Jackson Web page shouldn’t be forgotten for turning into the primary participant to do the double in the identical match within the World Championship qualifiers, however O’Sullivan’s contributions – with stakes excessive on the latter levels of a profitable occasion – have been mermerising.
All three Class of ’92 members proceed to rank contained in the world’s prime eight and motivation, relatively than Father Time, seems to be the most important impediment standing of their manner of sustaining their keep among the many highest echelons.
Hitting the Jackpot
There have been 14 completely different rating occasion winners in 2025, and amongst them three have been maiden champions – every getting topped within the final quarter of the 12 months.
Most lately was Alfie Burden, who simply shy of his forty ninth birthday turned the oldest first-time rating champion together with his win on the unpredictable Snooker Shoot Out.
A month earlier, a proficient rising star on the reverse finish of his profession prevailed on the Worldwide Championship with Wu Yize defeating Higgins to land the £175,000 prime prize.
Each of these victories have been memorable and poignant in their very own manner, however few triumphs will match the emotion sparked from Jack Lisowski’s overdue second within the solar on the Northern Eire Open.
For the perfect a part of 15 years, there was expectation following Lisowski and the obvious waste of his simple wealth of pure expertise.
Six finals and 6 defeats had come and gone, and if something he gave the impression to be struggling much more for type over the course of the final couple of seasons.
However impressed by a partnership with famend coach Chris Henry, all the pieces lastly fell into place for the Jackpot in Belfast.
Lisowski recorded victories over the likes of Mark Selby and Kyren Wilson en path to the ultimate, the place he fittingly overcame buddy and rival Judd Trump – 3 times the bane of his struggling in earlier finals – in a nerve-wracking 9-8 climax.
The emotional scenes within the instant aftermath mirrored the enjoyment, and certainly aid, that one of many recreation’s hottest figures had lastly fulfilled a few of his potential.
A masterclass from the Magician
It was all the best way again in January, however Shaun Murphy’s stomp to success on the Masters in London was probably the greatest of the Magician’s profession.
There have been different nice shows on the largest occasions all year long, together with Robertson’s in Saudi and Selby’s on the UK Championship.
Murphy, although, was a dominant drive on the Alexandra Palace the place he picked up a fourth profession Triple Crown title a full ten years after his final from the sequence.
Having lately teamed up with fellow former world champion Peter Ebdon, the Englishman once more possessed the self-belief required to win one of many majors.
Preliminary triumphs over Gary Wilson and Robertson helped Murphy by to the semi-finals, the place he produced a magical 147 break throughout a 6-3 besting of Mark Allen.
Reigning world champion Kyren Wilson – arguably the perfect participant on the earth on the time usually – was standing in Murphy’s manner of lifting the Paul Hunter Trophy for the second time.
However the 43 year-old’s confidence was sky excessive and a four-ton efficiency helped him on his approach to a deserving 10-7 triumph.
Selected the ultimate rely
Not counting the single-frame Snooker Shoot Out, there was only one rating occasion last in every of the 2023 and 2024 calendar years that required a deciding body.
The scenario was markedly completely different in 2025, with six amazingly going the space earlier than a champion was finally topped.
Some have already been referenced, together with Robertson’s downing of O’Sullivan in Jeddah that sparked three in a row on the calendar.
Quickly after, Xiao Guodong defended his Wuhan Open title with a tense 10-9 defeat of Gary Wilson whereas Mark Allen subsequently held off Zhou Yuelong by the odd body to win the English Open.
Lisowski’s 9-8 victory over Trump in Northern Eire was most likely the choose of the bunch, the latter having additionally misplaced 10-9 to Kyren Wilson on the Gamers Championship in March.
A month earlier than that, Wilson received the ball rolling with one other 10-9 win – this time over Barry Hawkins to say the German Masters silverware for the second time in his profession.
The 2025 snooker evaluate will proceed this weekend with the SnookerHQ.com Participant of the 12 months.
Featured photograph credit score: WST
