International Championship: Zhang Anda makes 147 break in maiden ranking title win

Zhang Anda potted 15 reds and 15 blacks on his way to a maximum 147 break in the third frame of his win over Tom Ford

China's Zhang Anda made a stunning 147 break on his way to winning the International Championship in Tianjin.

Zhang knocked in the maximum score in the third frame of his 10-6 win over England's Tom Ford as he claimed a first ranking title.

The home favourite moved clear with breaks of 86 and 101 but Ford recovered to level the match at 5-5.

Zhang, who beat world number one Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semi-finals, won five of the next six to wrap up the victory.

He hit another century as he won four frames in succession to lead 9-5 and after Ford took the next, Zhang hit a 70 break in the 16th to complete the win.

Zhang, 31, had not played in a ranking semi-final until last month's English Open, where he finished as runner up.

"I'm feeling extremely excited," Zhang told World Snooker. "During the [Covid-19] pandemic, I had considered retiring and giving up.

"But later on, I couldn't bear it and chose to return to the arena. I have been doing quite well in the past two or three years.

"The English Open had a significant impact on my improvement. When facing a disadvantage, I tell myself not to slack off. The English Open final taught me a valuable lesson and provided a great experience.

"This time, I maintained my focus because the opponent could have come back at any moment."