Xiao Guodong Goes Back-to-Back in Wuhan After Nail-Biting Final Victory
“The first time felt so nice, he had to do it twice!” That phrase perfectly sums up the sensational form of Xiao Guodong, who successfully defended his Wuhan Open title in front of a jubilant home crowd. In a gripping final showdown, Xiao edged out England’s Gary Wilson 10-9 in a deciding frame thriller to become a two-time ranking event winner – and he did it in style.
This latest triumph cements Xiao’s place among snooker’s elite, as he becomes only the second player in recent history to retain their maiden ranking title – following in the footsteps of none other than his final opponent, Gary Wilson, who did the same at the Scottish Open in 2022 and 2023. With this historic defense, Xiao extends his Wuhan Open winning streak to a remarkable 14 matches and surges to a career-best world number 8 in the rankings.
Xiao began his title defense in explosive fashion, notching a perfect 147 break in a 5-0 whitewash of Mink Nutcharut in the opening round. From there, he marched past Ishpreet Singh Chadha, David Grace, Matthew Selt, Stan Moody, and six-time world champion Mark Williams – dropping just a handful of frames en route to the final. Only Grace managed to keep things relatively close, pushing him in the last 32.
However, the final would be a much tighter affair. Despite not scoring heavily in the opening session, Xiao took a narrow 5-4 lead. Wilson’s 116 break in the ninth frame ensured the contest remained finely poised heading into the evening session.
Ultimately, the Chinese star held his nerve under immense pressure, sealing the title in the deciding frame. Alongside the trophy and a sizeable payday, Xiao also earns an invitation to the prestigious Champion of Champions event this November – where he was runner-up last year.
Wilson, despite the heartbreak, can take solace in a resurgent run that sees him climb back into the world’s top 16, along with a £63,000 prize.
From promising contender to consistent title threat, Xiao Guodong is proving he’s here to stay at the top of the game.
