Chang Bingyu beats Zhao Xintong with breathtaking clearance to secure his first ranking title at Wuhan Open

Chang Bingyu produced an incredible clearance to defeat Zhao Xintong and win the Wuhan Open for his first ranking title triumph.

After looking very nervous in preceding frames and making a glut of errors, as did his opponent, Chang cleared the colours which initially saw yellow, green, brown and blue stuck on cushions.

Even after navigating those, the pink was left at the most difficult of angles, but Chang cut back into a blind pocket and went around the table to leave himself an easy black.

Chang broke down in joy reflecting on an incredible week which saw him defeat Judd Trump and Ronnie O'Sullivan en route to the final.

This win did not seem likely early on, as Zhao won the first two frames and Chang did not take the lead until a 53-clearance saw him go 5-4 up at the end of the first session.

The lead was extended to 7-4 and with Zhao looking well out of sorts victory looked there for Chang.

Zhao battled back to one frame down and then Chang contrived to miss the brown ball, sitting over the yellow pocket, letting Zhao steal the frame and draw level.

With momentum seemingly with him, the 2025 world champion looked certain to continue his record of never losing a final, but Chang managed a 73 to take the next frame and then edged towards the finishing line.

It was not an exhibition of high scoring, with no hundreds in the final - though few have been scored all week in Wuhan suggesting conditions had a lot to do with this.

What it lacked in big breaks, it made up for in pulsating drama and perhaps has seen the emergence of another Chinese player capable of winning the sport's biggest events in the 2026/27 season.

Chang Bingyu produces one of the great clearance of colours to win his first ranking title - taking the match 10-7. He breaks down in joy after taking the title.

What a pot! He had a tough angle on the pink but cuts it back into a blind pocket and sets himself perfectly, going around the table, for the black.

What a series of shots. Chang pots a tough yellow, gets on the green, then does the same potting the brown. He then nails a difficult double of the blue.

Chang pots a very good pink to get back up to go for the pink on the top cushion. There will not be many tougher tables to navigate to win your first title. All balls down to the pink on cushions.

Chang gets the snooker he needs!

Zhao was nowhere near getting through to the red, having to stretch over the black and try to swerve between brown and yellow. He ends up hitting the brown.

Zhao opted not to play for the last red on the cushion as potting the pink alone leaves Chang needing a snooker.

Zhao back at the table and a good pot into the green pocket gets him underway again. It will be tough to make a match-winning break with a couple of reds glued to the cushions.

Zhao back at the table and a good pot into the green pocket gets him underway again. It will be tough to make a match-winning break with a couple of reds glued to the cushions.

Chang's shoulders slump as he does not get the ricochet he wanted on the reds after potting the pink and it is end of break.

Zhao could get no position off the pink and left a red over the bottom-right corner for Chang to put away.

"There's an air of resignation as he walks back to his chair."

So says Neal Foulds after Zhao misses a ball he would never usually do.

But then Chang misses a pot as well and Zhao plays a classy pot to open up the pink.

Zhao misses a long red and is lucky not to leave anything on.

The last thing a boxer loses is his big punch - apt for Zhao who can still slot long reds even when the rest of his game isn't there.

A fine clearance, under pressure, from Chang. He is now two-up, with three to play.

Chang opts against a long, straight red and it works out for him as Zhao just fails to fluke getting out of the snooker, leaving it on. You can feel the pressure.

Zhao neglects to go for the last red, hampered by awkward cueing. Probably the right option.

The drama won't end. Chang is unlucky not to get position on the penultimate red but then, attempting to roll behind the green, leaves it on for Zhao.

Chang finally ends the run of misses and the balls look in a fantastic position to produce a big break.

Back at the table, Zhao opens up the reds off the black but then just misses a long red into the yellow pocket. Chang also misses a long pot into the same pocket but incredibly, on such an open table, leaves nothing easy on and Zhao - surely hitting the ball too hard - hits another ball en route to the pocket.