Wu Yize landed his first victory for the reason that World Championship with success on the 2026 Shenzhen Open on Sunday.
The reigning Crucible champion defeated Yuan Sijun 10-5 to seize a 3rd profession rating title, all of which have come within the final 12-month interval.
By taking residence the £177,000 high prize and the equal in rating factors, Wu will rise to a profession excessive of quantity two on the planet behind compatriot Zhao Xintong.
It’ll mark the primary time within the sport’s historical past that the highest two ranked gamers on the planet come from China.
It’s one other signal of the nation’s growing dominance, with the Shenzhen Open ultimate additionally representing the second all-Chinese language finale of the season.
Favorite Wu began the title-deciding showdown strongly, compiling a break of 117 to take the opening body in model.
When the 22 year-old received two of the next three frames to guide 3-1 on the mid-session interval, it appeared like the ultimate was going to script.
However Yuan, competing in his maiden match on the principle tour with silverware on the road, received a few scrappy frames to revive parity.
When the 26 year-old then compiled a 61 to guide for the primary time, he was firmly within the ascendancy.
But when he didn’t take the eighth body regardless of opening with a break of 71, Wu managed to conclude the opening session with the 5-4 benefit.
That in the end proved essential with Yuan unable to maintain tempo together with his opponent through the second bout of play.
Wu once more received three out of the primary 4 frames within the night, this time to determine a three-frame cushion for the primary time.
A break of 56 within the 14th body subsequently took him to inside the brink of glory, and he duly wrapped up the five-frame triumph within the subsequent.
Yuan will undoubtedly be disillusioned with how his problem light within the second half of the affair, but it surely was a powerful week general.
By reaching his first rating ultimate, he’ll attain a career-high rating of quantity 26 on the planet.
The week was all about Wu, although, who backed up his dramatic 5-4 victory over Shaun Murphy within the quarter-finals with a 6-1 demolition of Judd Trump.
He was anticipated to have an excessive amount of for Yuan and so it proved, with a far-from-perfect efficiency nonetheless proving ample sufficient.
Wu began his tenure because the world champion comparatively slowly, however his glory right here might set him up for an additional trophy-laden marketing campaign.
An attention-grabbing subplot over the subsequent few months could possibly be his battle with Zhao for the world primary spot.
Both approach, the pair appear destined to painting distinguished characters among the many highest echelons of the sport for fairly a while.
Featured photograph credit score: WST
