Zhang Anda Confesses John Higgins Is His Hero and Dreams of Facing Him Again

Zhang Anda has reached his third consecutive UK Championship quarterfinal after a commanding 6-2 victory over reigning world champion Zhao Xintong. 

While Xintong’s performance was riddled with mistakes, it did little to overshadow the scoring brilliance of the ‘Snooker Panda,’ who compiled two brilliant centuries of 127 and 129 under the challenging York conditions.

Capitalising on the World Champion’s Mistakes

"I played so well, making those two centuries. But Xintong today didn’t play well, he missed some simple shot and gave me some chances. Today was just my day.”

The Chinese cueist, well aware of his successful history in York, is optimistic about taking his performance a step further this year.

“This year is my third time in the quarterfinal, but I hope this time I can go forward.”

Aiming to Go One Step Further

When asked if he felt he was playing well enough to contend for the title, Anda expressed confidence while remaining cautious about the next day.

“Yes, now I’m feeling very confident. But tomorrow I don't know how I’ll be feeling,” he told SportsBoom.co.uk. 

Earlier in the week Zhao Xintong predicted that in less than two years the sport’s top 16 will be dominated by China, highlighting the rapid rise of Chinese talent in professional snooker. He pointed to the growing number of young stars making an impact on the international stage and suggested that players like Zhang Anda are proof that China’s influence in the sport is only set to increase.

A Dream Clash with His Hero

After securing his place in the last eight, Anda will have the evening to relax and watch the outcome of the clash between Shaun Murphy and John Higgins, a match that carries particular significance for the 33-year-old.

The former International Championship winner has long admired Higgins, naming the four-time world champion his ‘hero’ and hoping to share memories on the baize with him before the 50-year-old retires.

We asked him post-match who he’d prefer to face in the quarterfinal, to which he revealed his admiration for the Scot.

“John Higgins, sorry Shaun,” he joked.

“John Higgins is my hero. When I was young, I would always look on the TV for when John was playing."

“I used to say, in the future I want to be like him, like John."

Despite turning professional in 2009, Anda has only faced Higgins once in a professional setting, at the 2024 Players Championship, where he managed to defeat his idol.

“Now I’m already 15 years into my career, but I’ve only played John one time. I really hope to be able to play him again in a professional match.”