Wu Yize announced himself on the world stage with a stunning 10–6 victory over four-time world champion John Higgins in the final of the 2025 International Championship in Nanjing. The 22-year-old’s maiden ranking title—sealed with a 108 clearance in the final frame—was the culmination of a breathtaking week in which he defeated four top-16 players in succession: Zhang Anda, Judd Trump, Barry Hawkins and Zhao Xintong.
Wu raced into a 5–2 first-session lead with four centuries, including a magnificent 137, before Higgins rallied to 5–4 at the interval. But the young Chinese star showed remarkable composure in the evening session, compiling breaks of 87 and 80 to extend to 8–4 and never allowing Higgins a route back into the match. His 14 centuries across the tournament matched the event record set by Mark Allen in 2018.
Wu becomes the ninth different player from mainland China to win a ranking event, two decades after Ding Junhui’s historic breakthrough in Beijing. The 28-year age gap between the finalists was the fourth-largest in ranking final history. Wu collects £175,000 and enters the world’s top 16 for the first time—a remarkable rise for a player who finished runner-up at both the English and Scottish Opens last season.
The tournament also produced notable milestones elsewhere: Bai Yulu set a new record for the highest break by a female player in professional competition with a stunning 145, while Neil Robertson compiled the 1,000th century of his career during qualifying.
Key facts:
Venue: South New City National Fitness Center, Nanjing, China
Dates: 2–9 November 2025
Final score: Wu Yize 10–6 John Higgins
Winner’s prize: £175,000 (ranking event)
