China’s rising star Wu Yize, 22, captured his first ranking title at the 2025 World Snooker Tour International Championship on Sunday. In a thrilling final, he defeated 50-year-old British veteran John Higgins 10-6, marking a breakthrough moment in his career.

The win propelled Wu from world No. 22 to No. 13, placing him inside the top 16 for the first time. His remarkable run included victories over four top-16 players in succession: Zhang Anda, Judd Trump, Barry Hawkins, and Zhao Xintong.

Dominant performance in the final

Wu surged to an early 4-1 lead in the best-of-19-frame final before Higgins narrowed the gap in the sixth frame. Wu responded with a century break to extend his lead to 5-2, but Higgins won the next two frames, ending the first session at 5-4.

After the interval, Wu regained momentum, pushing his lead to 8-5. He held his nerve to reach match point in the 14th frame, though Higgins countered with a break of 53. Wu sealed the victory with a 108-century break in the 16th frame.

Breaking into the snooker elite

“I still remember the last time I played against Higgins,” Wu said. “I was only 16 then, playing with a wildcard and losing to him. Never did I think our next meeting would be at the final of this tournament. It feels absolutely amazing.”

Higgins, reflecting on the challenge of facing top-tier competition, said, “I am so proud that I’m still competing. It is much harder to win now because players today are of such high quality.” (Xinhua)