Neil Robertson Predicts Bright Future for Teen Sensation Who Beat Him at International Championship

Former world champion Robertson was sent packing from this year’s £825,000 world ranking event in Nanjing by teenager Wang in the round of 32 on Monday.

In a high-scoring affair, China's Wang compiled breaks of 131 and 124 in consecutive frames en route to a 6-4 win. The 18-year-old also racked up runs of 70, 60, 68 and 84 as he progressed to the last 16 of a professional tournament for the first time.

Wang had already seen off two ranking event winners in previous rounds: David Gilbert in qualifying held in England several weeks ago, and double title holder Jak Jones at the main venue in the Far East. Next up for the hot young property is a meeting with the experienced Marco Fu on Tuesday with a quarter-final berth at stake.

“Huge future” for Wang says Robertson

Following the match, Robertson issued praise for his opponent.

On Instagram, the world number three posted a screenshot of the scorecard with text saying: “I remember the good old days 10 years ago when you had to play terrible to lose in the last 32 (with a laughing face emoji) Huge future this kid”.

The 26-time ranking event winner also commented on X, replying to a post suggesting that Wang would win this week’s International Championship title if he continues to perform like he did against him.

“If he plays like that he wins the comp. Played worse and won events” said the Australian.

Wang is not 19 until January. If he were to lift the trophy this week in Nanjing, he would become only the seventh teenager to claim a ranking event title, following in the footsteps of Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Paul Hunter, Ding Junhui and Yan Bingtao.

Earlier this year in Sofia, Bulgaria, Wang reached the finals of both the World Snooker Federation junior and main event (open age category) championships - the latter effectively being the modern-day world amateur championship.

He was denied in those finals - which carried professional tour cards to the winner - by Mykhailo Larkov and Hammad Miah, but gained promotion to the World Snooker Tour for the first time through the Chinese national tour rankings.

On his domestic circuit last season, Wang won an event in Wuhan where he whitewashed professional Chang Bingyu 5-0, in the final, astonishingly fashioning runs of 79, 110, 141, 122 and 141 in that match.

Wang has enjoyed a very solid start to life in snooker’s big time, making the last 32 stage of the British, English and Northern Ireland Opens, but has now reached new personal ground with this run at the International Championship.

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 International Championship, visit our tournament information centre here.