Wu Yize beats John Higgins to win International Championship – his first ranking title
China’s Wu Yize powered past John Higgins 10-6 in the International Championship final to win his first ranking title.
The 22-year-old home favourite hit four centuries in Nanjing, including a 137 break, in a superb display which lifts him into the world’s top 16 for the first time.
Four-time world champion Higgins, 50, hit a 101 break in the third frame but the Scot could not keep up as he looked to become the first player to win a ranking title in five different decades from their teens to 50s.
Wu impressed to seal the win with another century break of 108 and become the 80th player to win a professional ranking event title.
“Honestly, it feels unbelievable,” said Wu.
“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.”
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. 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.”