Xu Si Wins World U-21 Championship

China’s Xu Si won the 2016 IBSF World Under-21 Championship on Friday by beating former professional Alexander Ursenbacher 6-5 in Mol, Belgium.

It had appeared that Switzerland’s Ursenbacher, who dropped off the main tour following the 2014/16 season, was set to claim the title as he moved one away from victory at 5-3 with a break of 62.

Back though came his 18-year-old opponent, breaks of 59 and 69 enough to give him the last three frames and secure the biggest title of his career to date.

Earlier in the tournament Xu had defeated Lukas Kleckers, Richard Haney and Kacper Filipiak during the knock-out stages.

Xu Si will now be nominated to receive a place on the professional tour for the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 seasons. He is the fifth Chinese player to have won the competition, joining previous winners Ding Junhui (2002), Liang Wenbo (2005), Lyu Haotian (2012) and Lu Ning (2013).

He has also been selected as one of the wildcard players who will appear at the tenth staging of the Shanghai Masters tournament next month.