England's Kyren Wilson defeated his countryman Ali Carter 11-9 at the Luwan Gymnasium to win the 2025 Shanghai Masters title in a thrilling and dramatic final that came down to the last black ball.

A Close Battle between two Champions of the Game

Wilson has now won twice in this esteemed invitational event, including the championship he took home ten years ago in 2015 when it was still a ranking competition. At the beginning of the 2025–2026 snooker season, the victory, which brought him £210,000 out of an £825,000 prize pool, gives the defending world champion a huge boost in confidence.

It was a classic fight of nerves and attrition in the final. After the first session, Wilson, dubbed "The Warrior" took a 5-3 lead. But Carter, "The Captain" showed his usual tenacity by rallying to tie the score at 5-5 and then again at 7-7 after the half, guaranteeing that the match would be decided before the end.

In the closing moments, the match became a game of cat and mouse. Wilson opened a two-frame lead at 9-7 with a break of 105 and an incredible 122 century, his third of the game, seemingly taking control. Unfazed, Carter persevered once more and produced his own high-scoring responses to win two straight frames and square the match at 9-9, paving the way for a finish.

Wilson's cool-headed 86 in the 19th frame, which put him one frame away from victory at 10-9, was the decisive moment.The last frame was a thrilling match in which both players were under tremendous strain. Carter missed an important frame ball on his second visit, despite having two great chances to force a decision. Wilson went in to pot the final black to complete an 11-9 triumph, displaying the poise of a world champion.

The competition was noteworthy for a moment of snooker perfection, even if the final offered a climax. A highlight of the event that threw the local fans into a frenzy was Zhang Anda of China, who recorded the fourth-ever maximum 147 break in the history of the Shanghai Masters.

Wilson's victory cements his place on the Shanghai Masters trophy for the second time, adding him to the exclusive group of multiple champions that is still led by Ronnie O'Sullivan, who has a record five victories. After being postponed from 2020 to 2022 because of the COVID-19 epidemic, the tournament has successfully returned to its position as one of the most important and profitable invitational events on the snooker calendar, honouring the sport's ongoing development and appeal in China.