For years China has been looking for another snooker player for Chinese legend Ding Junhui to pass the torch to. The sport itself has also been looking for another youngster to make an earthquake-shaking breakthrough against the veterans, especially the Class of ’92.
By winning the 2021 Betfred Masters, 20-year-old Yan Bingtao has done exactly that.
2021 Betfred Masters Champion
Yan defeated the legendary John Higgins 10-8 in the Masters final in Milton Keynes. Everyone knows how huge an achievement it is to win any Triple Crown event but to win it at 20 years-old on his debut is unbelievable. Not only that, he beat Neil Robertson, Stephen Maguire and defending champion Stuart Bingham all on deciding frames before the final.
What is interesting about Yan Bingtao is his style of play. A lot of youngsters are incredibly attacking-minded, like his compatriot Zhao Xintong for example. Though Yan’s scoring ability is not his best trait, he has an excellent all-round game with a great tactical mind. Neil Robertson described Yan as “like playing Steve Davis in his prime” after his defeat in the first round of this year’s Masters. This is not only a testament to his tactical play but also to his greatest strength, which is his temperament.
Where does Yan Bingtao go from here? What else does he have to prove? Before attempting to answer these questions, let’s look back at Yan’s career so far.
Best Beginnings
Yan Bingtao seemed like a player graced for snooker stardom at a very young age. He became Shandong Provincial Champion at 12 years old. He achieved his first win over a professional player a year later, defeating Vinnie Calabrese in the APTC event Yixing Open in 2013. At the age of 14, he became the youngest winner of the World Amateur Championship, beating Muhammad Sajjad 8-7 and qualified for the main tour. But his major breakthrough was winning the 2017 World Cup with Zhou Yuelong.
Defeated finalists Higgins and Maguire reckoned that the pair will be World Champions one day.
Yan started his professional career in 2016 and made an instant impression. He made his first ranking quarter-final of his career at the 2017 German Masters in his first season. Due to his consistent performances, he leapt into the Top 64 within the first year of his two-year tour card. Yan also made Crucible debut too but lost to Shaun Murphy 10-8 in the first round.
He went further by reaching his first final in the 2017 Northern Ireland Open, defeating Mark King, Ryan Day and Robert Milkins along the way. Despite leading 8-7, Mark Williams took the last two frames to clinch the title, denying Yan of becoming the youngest ever winner of a ranking event. He finished his second season comfortably inside the Top 32 at No. 23 in the world at just 18 years of age.
Reaching Top 16 Heights
‘The Chinese Tiger’ had a quiet period during the 2018/2019 season, failing to reach a ranking quarter-final at all. He needed to have a brilliant year while defending his points from the 2017/2018 season. Yan was able to do this in style. Yan became the first player born after 2000 to win a ranking event by beating Mark Joyce 5-2 in the 2019 Riga Masters. He is the third professional player from mainland China to win a ranking title.
On top of that, he set foot in three ranking semi-finals as well as ending up in his second ranking final. However, Yan was outclassed by Judd Trump lost 10-4 in the 2020 Players Championship final. But Yan’s performances were enough to propel himself into the Top 16 and automatically qualify for the main stages of the 2020 World Snooker Championship. He beat debutant Elliot Slessor 10-7 before losing to Trump again 13-11 in the second round.
Of course, the global pandemic and lockdown have changed everyone’s lives to some extent. What is admirable is that it didn’t change Yan’s incredible work ethic. He chose to stay in England rather than returning to China before the World Championship so he can practice as much as he can. Though he made two quarter-finals this season, we haven’t seen significant results. That is until his 2021 Masters appearance.
His work ethic was constantly remarked upon during the Masters, He seemed to take every opportunity to practice outside of play, including during the intervals and between session in the final. That’s admirable.
What Is Next For Yan Bingtao?
I’m sure there will be a lot of fireworks back in Yan’s homeland. China will be over the moon that they have another one of their own to rely on. More importantly, Yan’s famous Masters victory will inspire other professionals of his age to do better and the next generation of youngsters. Who knows – Barry Hearn’s prediction that “half of the top 16 players in the world will be from China one day” might well come true!
The next immediate step is how Yan will cope when audiences return when the pandemic ends. There is no doubt that almost everyone has performed better without the expectations of the crowd since the start of this season. Will Yan be able to perform to the same standard at the Masters then?
The biggest test for the 20-year-old will be finding more ranking wins when he will face greater pressure than before. Fans and pundits will expect more of him and opponents may raise their game against him. Yan may feel the weight of China on his shoulders. There will be inevitable comparisons to Ding Junhui. Trump and Higgins say that Yan has the potential to be World Champion, so there will be plenty of baggage.
The above points are exciting. I can’t wait to see what Yan can achieve. He will have at least 20 years more in the sport don’t forget! A star is born.
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