Yan Bingtao became the first teenager to win a ranking title for 13 years after he held off Mark Joyce to win the Riga Masters decider 5-2.

The 19-year-old took the £50,000 top prize at the first ranking event of the season as he became the first teenager since Chinese countryman Ding Junhui at 2006 Northern Ireland Open to win a ranking tournament.

Yan is also the first Chinese winner of a ranking title since Ding landed the Yushan World Open in 2017.

Having failed to reach a ranking event quarter-final last season, it was a disappointing campaign for Yan, tipped by many pundits to go right to the top.

Now, with his maiden ranking win banked, the youngster will be sensing a season of progress ahead. He climbs three places up the official world ranking list to 18th and will be at the Champion of Champions in November.

Walsall’s Joyce had never previously been beyond the quarter-finals of a ranking event.

Yan took a scrappy opening frame before making breaks of 48 and 38 to move 2-0 ahead in Riga. Joyce responded with a fine 103 break to get on the board, only for Yan to notch a 53 en route to a 3-1 interval lead.

Joyce again trimmed the lead when he edged a tense fifth frame to trail 3-2, but Yan made a 65 in the sixth as he went 4-2 up and within one of the winning line.

Joyce was in first in the next, leading 45-5 before compiled a super 66 clearance to take frame and match.

Yan was delighted with his win and hopes he can be the catalyst for more Chinese success, but he still has Ding as the top of the pile.

“Ding is still the best Chinese player, I have to improve,” he said. “There are a lot of teenage Chinese players getting better and better, especially those who come to play in the UK. Hopefully more of them can win titles, and of course I hope I can win a lot of ranking events.”

Yan is 101.00 to win the UK Championship this season, while Ding can be backed at 17.00.