Zhao Xintong and Yan Bingtao feel the gravity of historic German Masters final

Zhao Xintong and Yan Bingtao meet in the final of the German Masters on Sunday and they are both aware of the impact the occasion can have on snooker in China.

The two brightest young stars in the game have shone this week in Berlin, with Yan, 21, beating Dave Gilbert, Mark Selby, Ryan Day and Mark Allen, while Zhao, 24, downed Mark Williams, Tom Ford, Judd Trump and Ricky Walden to reach the final.

It is just the second time a ranking event will have an all-Chinese final after Ding Junhui beat Xiao Guodong in the 2013 Shanghai Masters, and it is the youngest combined age of ranking finalists since the 2006 Grand Prix when Neil Robertson beat Jamie Cope.

Ding has long been the flag bearer for Chinese snooker, but his powers are waning and he has slipped down to number 30 in the world rankings. The country needed successors to step forward and both Yan and Zhao have done so in fine style, with the former claiming the Masters title and the latter the UK Championship last year.

One of them will be leaving Berlin with the second ranking title of their career on Sunday night and the importance for Chinese snooker is not lost on them.

After winning the first semi-final, Zhao told WST: ‘I want to play Bingtao because it’s very important for Chinese snooker, I think, so I want to play Bingtao in the final.’

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After Yan beat Allen, asked if this final will have a big impact in his home country, he said: ‘I think so because we need more Chinese people, young Chinese snooker players. It was always Ding who