snooker

The seven-time world champion's tally of 16 is three more than that of John Higgins, who is a fellow member of snooker's fabled 'Class of 92'.

He added converting the bunker into a games room - with a snooker table - and gym remained a work in progress.

But as his success soars, he finds he can switch off by playing snooker.

There were 34,000 snooker halls in the country around the time Speed made his remarks - there are now 300,000.

China is also snooker's biggest market in the television landscape, making up more than 50% of its global audience.