The 5 Best Asian Snooker Players

Posted: January 29, 2019

Updated: November 20, 2019

Ding Junhui is the most successful Asian player in the history of snooker
Future stars, like Bingtao and Haotian are also worth pay attention to

With all his accomplishments, Ding Junhui is our pick for the best Asian snooker player. The legend is followed by the former World Open winner veteran, Marco Fu. While we evaluate the past, we payed attention to the youngsters as well: future stars, like Haotian and Bingtao have everything to create history. Here are our top 5 best Asian snooker players! Asian snooker is getting more popular and more importantly better quality-wise.They did have great players in the past, like Junhui and Fu. However, a new, possibly even better generation has started to emerge lately. When we’ve created our list, we’ve payed attention to the world rankings and achievements in the past. However, the potential is also important. According to our latest review about Bet365 Sportsbook the betting site can accurately predict the outcome of the most important snooker tournaments. Therefore, we’ve used their odds as well to pick the 5 best Asian snooker players. Here’s the result.

1. Ding Junhui has become an Asian snooker legend

Ding Junhui is arguably the most successful Asian player in the history of snooker. He started playing as a child, and already started his professional career at the age of 16. Two years later he's already won the UK Championship. That has made him the first non-British player to win the title.

By now he's already won a World Open and an International Championship. He also has a good chance at the Snooker World Championship 2019. Online sportsbook sites in China believe that he’s the most likely Asian player to win the tournament. Bet365 Sportsbook argues he’s going to be the 4th best player there. He's also ranked as the 8th best snooker player in the world according to the Snooker World Rankings. Junhui is definitely an Asian snooker legend.

2. The veteran Marco Fu had a great career

Marco Fu is our second best Asian player. He's currently ranking as the 17th best snooker player in the world. This puts him below Junhui and above the rest in the continent. At Bet365 Sportsbook he’s also the second likely Asian to win the 2019 Snooker World Championship. Fu - nicknamed as the Pride of Hong Kong - is also the oldest player in our list, he’s 41. The veteran has started his long professional career in 1998. Since then he’s won the World Open in 2007 (then called Grand Prix). Fu was also runner up in the 2008 UK Championship, 2011 Masters and the 2013 International Championship. Now he’s also the runner up on Gamingzion’s 5 Best Asian Snooker Players list.

3. Wonderkid Yan Bingtao is making history

Yan Bingtao is a true wonderkid! He was only 14 when he’s won the Amateur World Snooker Championship. This makes him the youngest ever winner of the tournament. He’s still only 18, He’s definitely the best young Asian snooker player at the moment. By now, his career winnings reach £300,000 - not bad for a 18 years old. He took a year off in 2016, but in 2017 he’s become the youngest ever finalist of a ranking tournament at the Northern Ireland Open. If he keeps on performing, we believe he could chase the legendary Junhui. Until then, he takes the 3rd place on our list.

4. Xiao Guodong is amongst the best in the world by now

Guodong turned professional in 2007 after winning the Asian Under-21 Championships. He’s never won a major title, but he was runner-up at the 2013 Shanghai Masters and the 2017 Shoot-Out. He’s reached the quarter-finals at the last World Open, which puts him amongst the best players in the world.

He’s 29 years old, and his career winnings reached £550,000 by now. Though he’s considered as an underdog at the World Championship 2019, he still had a successful decade as a pro. This makes him one of the best Asian snooker players and puts him on the 4th place of our list.

5. Lyu Haotian is a spark of the next generation

As we’re going through the top 5 best Asian snooker players, we must mention Lyu Haotian. He’s one for the future. He started his pro career at 14. At the same age he's reached the quarter-finals of the 2012 International Championship. In the 2017-18 season he's reached the last-16 of the World Championship, UK Championship and China Open. Last year he was even better at the latter tournament, he’s reached the semi-finals. He hasn't managed to win any major titles yet, but he's only 21. He definitely has time to climb this list.