China's Zhao Xintong made snooker history on Sunday in Manchester, Britain, defeating world No. 1 Judd Trump 10-3 in the 2026 Snooker Tour Championship final to become the first player to sweep all three Players Series events in a single season, according to the World Snooker Tour (WST).

The latest victory has helped him rise to a career-high world ranking of fourth.

The match, initially seen as a closely contested showdown between world No.1 Trump and Zhao, quickly lost its suspense as Zhao displayed remarkable composure and offensive firepower at critical moments. Throughout the game, he delivered multiple high-quality breaks, demonstrating strong scoring ability and command over the table. In contrast, Trump's performance was inconsistent, marred by frequent errors. While he had occasional flashes of brilliance, he was unable to pose a sustained threat to Zhao, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

"Judd is my favourite player, I know he is very good. I am really happy just to play a final against him and I am lucky to win one," Zhao said after the match. "It's an amazing moment for my career. Manchester is a very good city and the crowd has been amazing. I am just trying to enjoy the snooker table. This win is very important for me, I didn't want to lose in the final. Next it's the World Championship and hopefully I can keep going," according to the WST.

Trump praised his opponent's unprecedented campaign.

"Zhao has had an amazing tournament, he has been brilliant in these three (Players Series) events and won them all very convincingly," Trump said, according to the WST. "It's nice to see someone from China come through, in the way he plays. He's going to be around for a long time, it's up to me and the other players to play well against him otherwise he's going to end his career with 100 tournaments."

Zhao's historic run began in February with victories at the World Grand Prix and the Players Championship. By capturing the Tour Championship, he became only the 12th player in snooker history to win three ranking titles in a single season.

He has now won his first six ranking finals, a feat previously achieved only by Steve Davis, Mark Williams and Neil Robertson. With six career ranking titles, he achieved a new level on the all-time list with Ken Doherty, Stuart Bingham and Ali Carter, according to the WST.

"Swinging to the peak, breaking through defenses, and defeating top rivals — he is creating his own era," the WST wrote on its official Sina Weibo account on Monday. "This marks Zhao's sixth ranking title, while maintaining a perfect 100% record in finals."

Zhao's path to the title included a 10-1 dismantling of snooker legend John Higgins in the semifinals, handing the veteran one of the heaviest defeats of his career.

The Tour Championship victory earned Zhao a £150,000 ($198,200) top prize, pushing his single-season earnings past the £1 million mark as he turns his focus to the Crucible.