German Masters Snooker: Tough to pick a winner in all-Chinese final

Gary Moss
30 January 2022
4:00 min read

Who will come out on top in the German Masters Snooker final

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Yan Bingtao has the all-round game to make him the rightful marginal favourite against Zhao Xintong for our snooker writer Gary Moss. He tells us more about this landmark final in Berlin...

"...he combines unshakeable temperament with an impressive tactical ringcraft to not only look like a credible future dominator of our sport but a player who importantly can win when he's not at his best as well as when he is."

Back Yan Bingtao at 2.26/5 to win with a handicap of -1.5 frames

With Chinese new year just two days away, it is perhaps fitting for two of snooker's bright young stars from China to be contesting today's Bild Bet German Masters final.

It is fitting with 2022 being the year of the Tiger that it is Yan Bingtao - who goes by this nickname - setting off in this one as a marginal 4/5 favourite.

Having come through some gripping contests this week including a 5-4 win against the world number one Mark Selby and 6-4 semi-final triumph over Mark Allen, the 21-year-old has continued to show maturity on the table beyond his years.

He's not your typical young raw potter. Instead, he combines unshakeable temperament with an impressive tactical ringcraft to not only look like a credible future dominator of our sport but a player who importantly can win when he's not at his best as well as when he is.

This is a vital ingredient for any great champion and gives him the edge today. Yan can be backed at 6/5 win with a handicap of -1.5 frames.

Zhao has that winning feeling

His opponent - the 24-year-old Zhao Xintong - perhaps needs things a bit more in perfect place to produce the goods.

But of late, he has certainly found the winning recipe. A little over a month ago he was pictured in scenes of jubilation in York as he picked up his first title at the UK Championship and here he is now back into another final proving he was no one-hit wonder.

Those who have followed Zhao's progress will tell you of his talent - he's got it in spades - and would let you know that the UK win was unlikely to be a flash in the pan.

This run to the final which has included a 5-3 win over the legend Mark Williams and a 5-1 demolition of two-time defending champion Judd Trump has shown he is here to stay at the top of the game but perhaps as a follow up to what we saw in York has come slightly quicker than we may have imagined.

It does though demonstrate the importance of confidence in snooker. Zhao has got that winning feeling and seemingly the belief he belongs on the table alongside the very best.

He sets off at Evens in a contest where it is tough to pick winner. But we know he will certainly be punching today and can be backed at 11/10 to score more than two century breaks.

Brilliant Berlin showpiece

Every so often in this sport there's a final that comes along which just feels a bit special and this one definitely fits into that bracket.

Not only will it be contested in the packed Tempodrom in Berlin which has for a while now been heralded as one of our best venues on the circuit but it is also our first final overseas from the UK in two years.

The entire week has been breath of fresh air - a landmark event as we hope for snooker to begin its trademark globetrotting once more after a pandemic which has put the brakes on much of the circuit's great work to introduce new tournaments in different corners of the world.

But the presence of two fantastic Chinese players is just the icing on the cake. A landmark occasion with two of our stars of the future continuing to come of age. Critics within the sport have long beaten the drum of a lack of emerging talent.

While we are blessed to have so many of the greats still flourishing and winning into their 40s, Zhao and Yan are shining examples of why the future is in safe hands.

Not only this a clash between two exciting compatriots but also a match up between two players from the famous Victoria's Snooker Academy in Sheffield, home to many of snooker's bright Chinese players.

These players are familiar practice partners regularly sparring in preparation to big tournaments. However, they have only met twice before in competitive matches. These have both been over a best-of-seven format with one win apiece.

Today is their biggest contest against each other by quite some margin. While their paths may not have crossed too many times professionally before, there is no doubt that this could become one of the great rivalries of the future as they look set to spur each other on for many years to come.

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