Wu Yize Shatters Barriers, Storms into Historic Final with Unstoppable 12-Frame Streak
After a string of near-misses and two runner-up finishes last season, Wu Yize has finally reached the pinnacle of his career, storming into his first-ever ranking final in style. His journey to the 2025 International Championship final in Nanjing has been nothing short of spectacular, as he has consistently delivered flawless snooker to outclass some of the sport’s biggest names.
Wu’s path to the final has been marked by a stunning 12-frame winning streak that began with a commanding 6–4 victory over Judd Trump, followed by an equally dominant 6–0 demolition of Barry Hawkins in the semi-finals. In each of those victories, Wu’s performance was clinical, with every frame featuring a break of 60 or more—a sign of his relentless quality and unshakable confidence. Against Hawkins, Wu’s consistency was on full display, notching up four consecutive frames in the semi-finals, with breaks of 108, 71, and 65, all played under immense pressure.
But it was in his semi-final clash with Zhao Xintong, the defending world champion, where Wu truly showcased his championship potential. Zhao fought back after Wu took an early lead, producing a series of high-quality breaks—81 and 50—but Wu stood firm, never once flinching under pressure. His 9–6 victory over Zhao was not a fluke, but the result of a belief system that has been building over the years—a belief that he has what it takes to be among the best.
Now, with his first ranking title within reach, Wu finds himself on the brink of history. A victory in this final would not only secure his first-ever ranking title, but it would also guarantee his automatic qualification for the final stages of the UK Championship. More importantly, it would continue the trend of Chinese dominance in the sport, with a third consecutive Chinese winner poised to emerge from this event.
In a high-stakes final against veteran John Higgins, Wu’s fireworks continued. He made breaks of 110, 113, and 137 to claim a narrow 5–4 lead after the first session. However, the ever-resilient Higgins fought back, winning the last two frames of the session from behind, keeping the match on a knife-edge. With one session to go, the stage is set for a thrilling conclusion, and the snooker world waits to see whether Wu Yize will seize the moment and capture his maiden ranking title in front of a raucous home crowd.
It’s Wu’s time—his breakthrough moment. Congratulations are already in order, regardless of the result. The future of Chinese snooker has a new star.
