Han Yu (pool player)

In this Chinese name, the family name is Han.

Han Yu (born 1992) is a Chinese professional pool player. She is a three time WPA World Nine-ball Championship women's champion, winning the event in 2013, 2016 and 2018. Han is also a semi-finalist in three further world championships, in 2017 in the nine-ball event, and 2011 and 2014 in ten-ball.^[1]

Han Yu

Born	1992 (age 32–33)
Sport country	China
Pool games	Nine-ball
Tournament wins
World Champion	Nine-ball (2013, 2016, 2018) Heyball (2018)

Twice a winner of the nine-ball event at the All Japan Championship and thrice at the China Open 9-Ball Championship, Han won the "player of the year award" in 2016 for Billiards Digest.

Career

Han Yu picked up the game of pool aged six following her father to a pool hall. She first appeared at a major pool event in 2007 as she won the China national nine-ball championship aged 15.^[2] She also reached the semi-finals of the All Japan Championship, before winning the event in 2009.^[3][4][5] In 2011, Han reached the semi-final of the WPA World Ten-ball Championship, losing to winner Kelly Fisher 9–4,^[6] and later in the year lost again in the semi-final of the All Japan Championship to Bi Zhu-Qing.^[7]

In 2013, Han became a world champion for the first time, winning the WPA World Nine-ball Championship. She defeated Fisher and Tan Ho-yun to reach the final, where she defeated Yuan-chun Lin 9–1.^[8][9][10] After winning the championships, Han began to pack up her cue, and did not celebrate.^[11] Han was then surrounded by fans asking for autographs and photographs, and broke into tears when her mother arrived.^[11] The following year, Han reached the semi-finals of the WPA World Ten-ball Championship, but lost to Kelly Fisher again.^[12]

In 2016, Han reached the semi-finals of the Amway Cup and was defeated 8–9 there by the eventual champion, Chezka Centeno.^[13] Two months later, she completed a 9–8 final victory over Liu Shasha in the China Open. In December 2016, Han won her second world championship with a 9–7 victory in the final against Chihiro Kawahara.^[14] Han won her third world championship in 2018, winning the nine-ball final over Wang Xiao Tong.^[14][15]

Han Yu was picked as eighth seed for the 2019 World Pool Masters, missing the preliminary round but lost 6–7 to Shane Van Boening in the first round.^[16]

Titles & Achievements

• 2009 All Japan Nine-ball Championship^[17]
• 2013 WPA Women's World Nine-ball Championship^[15]
• 2014 China Open 9-Ball Championship^[18]
• 2016 WPA Women's World Nine-ball Championship^[15]
• 2016 China Open 9-Ball Championship^[18]
• 2016 Billiards Digest Player of the Year^[2]
• 2018 WPA Women's World Nine-ball Championship^[15]
• 2018 WPA World Heyball Championship^[19]
• 2018 AZBilliards Player of the Year^[20]
• 2019 All Japan Nine-ball Championship^[17]
• 2023 China Open 9-Ball Championship
• 2024 China Open 9-ball Championship
• 2024 Predator Las Vegas Mixed Doubles Invitational - with (Wu Kun-lin)