Han Yu (pool player)

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.

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. She also reached the semi-finals of the All Japan Championship, before winning the event in 2009. In 2011, Han reached the semi-final of the WPA World Ten-ball Championship, losing to winner Kelly Fisher 9–4, and later in the year lost again in the semi-final of the All Japan Championship to Bi Zhu-Qing.

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. After winning the championships, Han began to pack up her cue, and did not celebrate. Han was then surrounded by fans asking for autographs and photographs, and broke into tears when her mother arrived. The following year, Han reached the semi-finals of the WPA World Ten-ball Championship, but lost to Kelly Fisher again.

In 2016, Han reached the semi-finals of the Amway Cup and was defeated 8–9 there by the eventual champion, Chezka Centeno. 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. Han won her third world championship in 2018, winning the nine-ball final over Wang Xiao Tong.

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.

Achievements

 * 2009 All Japan Nine-ball Championship
 * 2013 WPA Women's World Nine-ball Championship
 * 2014 China Open 9-Ball Championship
 * 2016 WPA Women's World Nine-ball Championship
 * 2016 China Open 9-Ball Championship
 * 2016 Billiards Digest Player of the Year
 * 2018 WPA Women's World Nine-ball Championship
 * 2018 CBSA World Chinese Eight-ball Championship
 * 2018 AZBilliards Player of the Year
 * 2019 All Japan Nine-ball Championship
 * 2023 China Open 9-Ball Championship