Zhao Xintong's World Championship triumph can help snooker's bid to enter the Olympic Games, says the sport's chair Jason Ferguson.

The crowning of Zhao Xintong as Asia’s first world snooker champion will have come as a surprise to many unfamiliar with the sport, who will have also been unaware of its vast popularity in China.

Zhao Xintong won the World Snooker Championship on Monday after beating Mark Williams 18-12. The Chinese star beat his idol Ronnie O’Sullivan with a session to spare to set up a showpiece