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Wu Yize is the 2026 World Champion!

monique — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 12:14:02 +0000

Wu Yize won the 2026 World Championship at the Crucible theatre in Sheffield, beating Shaun Murphy 18-17 in the Final. The final was refereed by Rob Spencer and here are the detailed scores of the Final:

Session 1:
72-50 (51), 60-50 (SM 50), 86-53 (61), 0-95 (85)
0-98 (98), 24-90 (77), 1-118 (109), 74-32 (65)

Session 2:
82-1 (82), 106-16 (103), 32-80 (72), 72-8
89-8 (89), 0-83 (70), 97-29 (66), 1-66, 91-39 (91)

Session 3:
37-103, 9-76 (76), 13-55, 2-120 (59)
37-67 (60), 93-0 (64), 73-1, 121-5 (61)

Session 4:
88-1 (88), 0-82 (82), 26-75, 60-56
70-73 (WY 70, SM 65), 65-0 (56), 1-131 (131)
91-45 (91), 43-75 (75), 85-8 (85)

He also had to work hard in the semi finals … where he defeated Mark Allen by 17-16!
This is a really fantastic achievement, especially considering that Wu was only 21 years old when he lifted the trophy.
Big Congratulations Wu Yize!

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Here is the piece WST shared a week after Wu’s triumph:

Wu Hopes To Inspire New Generation

A week after winning the Halo World Championship, Wu Yize is looking ahead to a bright future and hopes that his hard-working attitude and success can inspire the next generation of players.

China’s 22-year-old Wu became the second youngest ever World Champion when he beat Shaun Murphy 18-17 in one of the all-time great Crucible finals on May 4th. On his return to his homeland he was given a hero’s welcome having immediately become a national icon in a country where hundreds of millions of fans watch and play snooker.

Wu’s attacking style and bold shot selection was never more evident than the deciding frame of the final with Murphy, when he potted a do-or-die red to a centre pocket to set up a match-winning break of 85. And the player from Lanzhou in northwest China’s Gansu province has no plans to adapt his approach.

“I will definitely stick with it,” said Wu in an interview with national broadcaster CCTV. “I’m more willing than most players to attack and take risks, and I’m willing to accept the consequences whether I win or lose. I think what I can do is show everyone the best version of myself through my career. Maybe that can inspire people of my generation, or younger kids, to give everything for the work they truly love and pursue it bravely. That’s probably what I want to express. If I can have that kind of influence, then I feel a great sense of achievement. Chinese players are all very hard-working. We are always studying how to improve and become better. Living abroad and dealing with various pressures also pushes us to become stronger and go further.”

Next season, Wu will face the responsibility and added expectation that comes with being World Champion. His compatriot Zhao Xintong handled that challenge admirably, winning four titles in 2025/26 and proving to be a fine ambassador for the sport. Wu has a similar level-headed demeanor and with the support of his family he is confident he can continue to improve.

“Maybe the enormous pressure during the tournament has disappeared, but at the same time a lot of other work and responsibilities have come all at once,” he said. “I think I’ve adapted quite quickly. In fact, my goal has always been to win the World Championship. Perhaps this season I felt I truly had the ability to compete for it, whereas before it was something I could only quietly keep to myself. I’ve never doubted myself, although emotional ups and downs are inevitable. Every player experiences that during an event like the World Championship.

“I kept trying to tell myself to enjoy it and experience that incredible arena, but when you are actually inside that environment, it’s difficult to fully control your emotions. All you can do is try your best and do everything possible to manage those outside factors. Although I won this tournament, there were still many moments where I felt I had small problems. For example, at certain key moments under pressure, I didn’t handle my emotions well enough. Whether leading or trailing, I need to stay calmer and avoid thinking about things outside the match or unrelated to the table.

“Honestly, I feel that ever since I turned professional I’ve been improving every year. It’s been a good feeling, taking things step by step. Every season I’ve had some gains and breakthroughs, and even the defeats have helped me gain valuable experience, which allowed me to get through difficult moments in a tournament like the World Championship. I still want to pursue bigger and higher goals. I believe that after winning the World Championship, the responsibility on my shoulders and the life I face now will require me to work even harder and continue improving myself.”

Looking back on the final against Murphy, Wu was asked about his opponent’s unusual break-off. He replied: “That’s a tactical approach he has studied very well. I think his break-off is especially effective against aggressive players because it can really limit the opponent’s scoring opportunities. The good thing about his break-off is that many times I simply couldn’t find a way to deal with it. The only option was often to take on a very risky attacking shot, maybe a long pot to open things up, but if you miss, you can leave him with a very good chance. When I play, I always like to embrace challenges. If I believe it’s the right situation, I will definitely take risks. Maybe that’s just the kind of player I am. Of course, I’ve paid the price for it many times and lost a lot of matches because of it.”

And asked about his composure and calmness at the end of the final, he added: “Maybe because by that point I had already experienced so many emotions. It was such a long match, and I think both of us were completely exhausted. Perhaps the pressure was finally released at that moment. The feeling went beyond myself somehow. I felt the support of my country behind me, and a kind of spiritual strength coming from China that gave me a sense of mission. I wasn’t only fighting for myself. My parents sacrificed everything. It’s hard to describe in just a few words. It was only the second time my mother had been to the UK, and sometimes she probably felt that we were quite lonely over there. Since I was very young, our whole family has worked hard together and stayed committed to this career. In that moment, I felt I had repaid not only my own efforts, but also theirs.”

The 2026 World Open

monique — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:14:12 +0000

The 2026 World Open was played in Yushan China, from 16 to 22 March 2026. John Higgins was the defending Champion.
All detailed results are available on snooker.org..
The event was won by Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, who defeated Ronnie O’Sullivan by 10-7 in the final.
It was Ronnie who had narrowly defeated Wu Yize in the semi-finals (6-5).
Ding Junhui had entered the event but lost in the qualifiers to Marco Fu (5-2). Mark Selby also had entered the event and had qualified to play at the venue but withdrew in order to better prepare for the World Championship.
Neil Robertson had not entered this event.

The 2026 Welsh Open

monique — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:50:45 +0000

The 2026 Welsh Open took place in Llandudno, Wales, from 23 February till 1st of March 2026. The event was won by Barry Hawkins who beat Jack Lisowski by 9-5 in the final. Except for Ding Junjui, all Grove players were involved in the main event.
Luca Brecel though failed to make any sort of impact as he was whitewashed by Jackson Page in the first round proper. Mark Selby also exited the tournament in that round, beaten 4-3 by Jiang Jun.
Neil Robertson lost to the eventual champion, Barry Hawkins, in the QF round (5-3) ant it was Barry again who eliminated Wu Yize in the SF round (6-4).

The 2026 World Grand Prix

monique — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:04:05 +0000

The 2026 World Grand Prix was played at the Kai Tak Arena in Hong Kong, from 3 to 8 of February 2026. Neil Robertson was the defending champion.
The event was won by Zhao Xintong who beat Zhang Anda by 10-6 in the final.
Other than Luca Brecel, all Grove players qualified for it. Remember, this event is for the top 32 in the one year list only.
Neil Robertson, the defending Champion, was beaten by 5-1 by Jak Jones in the first round. Ding also lost in that round, beaten 5-3 by Barry Hawkins.
Mark Selby went one round further, but lost in the round of 16, beaten in a deciding frame by the then reigning world Champion, Zhao Xintong.
Wu Yize reached the quarter-finals but lost at that stage by Zhang Anda.

The 2026 Masters

monique — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:29:12 +0000

The 2026 Masters was played at Alexandra Palace, London from 11th to 18th of January 2026. Shaun Murphy was the defending champion. The events was won by Kyren Wilson who beat John Higgins by 10-6 in the final. Other than Luca Brecel, all Grove players were involved. From the Grove Wu Yize and Judd Trump had the best tournament. Both reached the semi-finals. Wu lost to Kyren Wilson and Judd to John Higgins. Both matches went to a deciding frame.
Wu also made the highest break of the tournament, a 137. It came during his first round match against the defending Champion, Shaun Murphy,
All the detailed results are available on snooker.org.

Mark Selby is the 2025 UK Champion

monique — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 11:01:56 +0000

Mark Selby beat Judd Trump in the Final in York to become the 2025 UK Champion.
Here is the report shared by WST

:

Mark Selby held off a fightback from defending champion Judd Trump to triumph in a nerve-shredding final 10-8 and win the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship for a third time.

Victory sees Selby reach the quarter-century mark in ranking silverware, with this being his 25th title.

The Jester from Leicester also captured UK crowns in 2012 and 2016, when he won respective finals against Shaun Murphy and Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Selby has ended a nine year wait to conquer York again and the signs were there in the lead up to the event. He won last month’s invitational Champion of Champions, where he defeated Trump 10-5 in the title match.

42-year-old Selby moves to ten Triple Crown titles in all, edging ahead of John Higgins (9) in the all-time list. Only Steve Davis (15), Stephen Hendry (18) and Ronnie O’Sullivan (23) have won more than Selby.

Defeat for world number one Trump means he ends 2025 without having added to his trophy collection. It is the first time the Bristolian has failed to win an event in a calendar year since 2013.

Selby claims the £250,000 winner’s cheque and as a result rises from 11th position to sixth in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings. Trump remains unmoved at the summit.
They came into tonight with Selby holding a commanding 6-2 lead. The opening frame went the way of the four-time World Champion, who crafted a run of 59 to extend his advantage to 7-2.

Trump seized the initiative in the next with a break of 63, but spurned a black off the spot. Selby couldn’t punish him and a safety battle ensued. Trump eventually trapped his opponent and won the exchange to make it 7-3.

A fragmented 11th saw both players miss balls unexpectedly, but after 38 minutes of play, it was 2019 Crucible king Trump who prevailed to go three behind at 7-4. The Juddernaut rode the wave of momentum into the interval, hammering in a century run of 105 to trail 7-5.

When play resumed, Selby produced a 91 break to move two away from the finishing line. However, the Ace in the Pack refused to fold and made a sublime 125 to pull within two at 8-6.

A nervy 15th saw Selby miss two routine blacks off the spot, allowing Trump to reduce his arrears further and crank up the heat, making it 8-7.

Despite the huge tension, Selby summoned the steel to make 77 and move to the verge of victory and lead 9-7.

The balls appeared to be at Selby’s mercy in the 17th, but a missed red to the top left allowed Trump back to the table and he clawed back to 9-8. In typical Selby fashion, he recomposed himself and made 69 to cap off a landmark win.

“I missed a dolly red when I was in win 10-7 and I was sitting in my chair thinking that if I lose 10-9 that will haunt me forever. It would have been worse than the Willie Thorne blue! To make the break in the last, it is probably one of the best breaks of my career. Under those circumstances, to hold myself together,” said an elated and relieved Selby.

“To win any tournament nowadays is so difficult. I put so much emphasis on these Triple Crown events. I always try that little bit harder and the pressure is greater. These are the events I judge my CV on. It is nice to get to double figures.

“It is incredible to go above John Higgins in Triple Crown wins. I’ve looked up to him for years. When I was a young lad, he was at the top of his game and he is still top of his game now. To know I’m in front of him by one is incredible. He is still capable of winning Triple Crown events himself and it wouldn’t surprise me if he did it this season. I get on with him really well, so I can have a bit of banter about that.”

Trump said: “I had a lot of chances this evening. It is my own fault and I missed too many easy balls. It isn’t easy to get over the line in these big events and I was in a similar situation last year. I hoped that I would find my best but it didn’t happen.

“Mark was much the better player and I was just trying to hang in. There was the odd frame when I was coming back and I was starting to pot a few. I will be trying to find that at the start of the game in the Masters. I will work hard between now and the Masters.”

All the detailed results are available on snooker.org.
Judd Trump had beaten Neil Robertson in the semi-finals and Ding in the quarter finals before facing Mark Selby in the final.
Previously, Neil Robertson had beaten Wu Yize in the round of 16.

Wonderful Wu Yize is the 2025 International Championship Champion

monique — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 19:04:34 +0000

Wu Yize won his first ranking title in Nanjing as he prevailed at the 2025 International Championship!
Here is the report shared by WST:

China’s Wu Yize blitzed to a 10-6 victory over Scotland’s four-time World Champion John Higgins to capture his maiden ranking title by winning the International Championship in Nanjing.

The supremely talented 22-year-old’s potential has been clear for many years. He became World Under-21 Champion back in 2018, aged just 14. Four years later, in 2022, he was named Rookie of the Year after his debut season on tour.

However, this has been Wu’s coming of age week. Having also beaten the likes of compatriots Zhang Anda and World Champion Zhao Xintong, it was against two of England’s finest where he displayed his blistering best.

From 4-0 down in his last 16 tie with world number one Judd Trump, Wu strung together 12 consecutive frames to win 6-4 and then whitewash Barry Hawkins 6-0. Each of those frames contained a break over 60. The question was could he carry that form into his final with experienced 50-year-old Higgins?

Today’s clash was the fourth biggest ever age gap in a ranking final, the biggest was 30 years between Ding Junhui and Steve Davis in the 2005 UK Championship final.

Wu’s previous two final appearances ended in defeat. He lost 9-7 to Neil Robertson in the 2024 English Open final and a few months later was beaten 9-5 by Lei Peifan in the 2024 Scottish Open final.

This win makes Wu the ninth ranking event winner from mainland China and he pockets a £175,000 top prize. That catapults Wu from 22nd to 13th in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings. He now qualifies automatically for the UK Championship, at Chris Wakelin’s expense.

It’s a disappointing end to a very strong week for 33-time ranking event winner Higgins. He will have to settle for the £75,000 runner-up cheque in his 59th ranking final. His run included a 9-2 win over close friend Stephen Maguire in the semis and a 6-2 defeat of Shaun Murphy in the quarters.

The afternoon session saw Wu dominate large chunks of the play, but Higgins showed his grit and experience to claim the last two frames leave the match in the balance at 5-4 to Wu.

When play got underway this evening, Wu immediately regained the initiative with a break of 87 to go two ahead.

A dramatic 11th frame proved to be a crucial juncture in the match. Higgins had the frame under control when he missed a tricky brown to the left hand baulk corner. After a brief exchange, Wu took on a double which led to a tremendous clearance of 43 to steal on the black and move 7-4 ahead.

Wu compounded that frame with a maximum attempt in the 12th. His run ended on 80, but it left him needing just two frames for glory at 8-4 as they went in for the mid-session.

After play resumed, the next two frames were traded, as Wu moved to the verge of victory at 9-5. Higgins crafted a defiant 53 to make it 9-6, but this evening was Wu’s moment. He went out with a bang, hammering home 108 to get over the line and become the International Champion.

“Honestly, it feels unbelievable. After beating Judd Trump, I started thinking about the whole journey and it was surreal,” said an elated Wu.

“I think one of the good things was that I started both sessions of the final really well. Having a lead helped me to relax. Everything went pretty much the way I wanted.

“It has been a long wait since reaching the final at the Scottish Open and the English Open last year. At times I honestly felt quite desperate, but deep down I always believed I had the ability to win a title. Every day I kept thinking about it. I had a strong will to lift a trophy. That belief carried me through this week.

“My parents are everything. My dad (Wu Jiepin) has been with me since I was a kid, always by my side. He’s helped me so much, especially during difficult times in the UK. I’m so grateful for what he has done for me.”

Higgins said: “I was nowhere near good enough all day. He was striking the ball beautifully. He was by far the better player. It reminded me so much of playing Paul Hunter. The way he gets through the ball and gets so much action on it. He is a brilliant player.

“There’s no point in getting too down. I’ll get home and have a couple of days off before the Champion of Champions. After that it is the Riyadh tournament and then building up to the UK. I’m disappointed with how I played today.

“I’m delighted his mum and dad are here. It brings back memories for me. It could open the floodgates. It goes to show the good hands snooker is in. I’m glad that I’ll probably be retiring in a couple of years with guys like that potting them off the lampshades. He is a total star.”

All the detailed results are on snooker.org

The 2025 Xi’An Grand Prix

monique — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:20:23 +0000

The 2025 Xi’An Grand Prix was played in Xi’An, China from 7 to 13 of October 2025. Mark Williams won the event, beating Shaun Murphy in the final.

Ding Junhui was the most successful of the Grove players in this event: he reached the QFs, losing by 5-3 to Shaun Murphy, the eventual runner-up. It was also Shaun Murphy who had eliminated Wu Yize by 5-4 in the round of 32. NEil Robertson also lost at the last 32 stage, beaten 5-4 by He Guoqiang. Mark Selby lost in the last 64, going out at the hands of Mark Davis.
Luca Brecel had lost to Sunny Akani in the qualifiers. He had conceded the match after three frames

The 2025 British Open

monique — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 16:57:30 +0000

The 2025 British Open was played from 22 to 28 September 2025 in Cheltenham. Mark Selby was the defending champion.
The event was won by Shaun mUrphy who beat anthony McGill by 10-7 in the final. Sheun had beaten Mark Selby by 6-1 in the semi-finals. It was also Shaun who had eliminated Neil Robetson by 4-1 in the round of 32. Wu Yize had lost in the round of 64 to Ali Carter.

All the detailed results are available on snooker.org.

The 2025 English Open

monique — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 16:23:17 +0000

The 2025 English Open was played in Brentwood from 11 to 21 September 2025. Neil Robertson was the defending champion. The event was won by Mark Allen who defeated Zhou Yuelong by 9-8 in the final.
Neil’s title defence ended early: he was beaten 4-1 by Jackson Page in the round of 32.
All the detailed results are available on snooker.org
Both Ding Junhui and Wu Yize lost in the round of 16. Ding lost by 4-3 to the eventual champion, Mark Allen, whilst Wu went out by 4-2 to fellow Grove player Mark Selby, Mark reached the semi-finals, where he lost by 6-3 to Zhou Yuelong. Zhou had got the better of Luca Brecel in the quarter-finals (5-4).