Yiheng Wang Defeats Zhaokun Li, Advances to In-Person Final Against Xuanyi Geng

Wang won the Monkey League semifinal 4-1, posting multiple sub-3.7 set medians in one of the fastest head-to-head performances of the season.

Yiheng Wang defeated Zhaokun Li 4-1 in the Monkey League Season 6 semifinal, advancing to an in-person final against Xuanyi Geng later this year.

Monkey League is typically held online, making this season’s in-person final a notable change for one of speedcubing’s most prominent head-to-head formats.

The matchup brought together two of the fastest 3x3 solvers in the world, but Wang controlled most of the match from the start. He won the first two sets with medians of 3.62 and 3.54, putting early pressure on Li and building a 2-0 lead.

Wang’s opening two sets were especially sharp. He recorded times of 3.62, 3.50, and 5.56 in Set 1, then followed with 3.68, 3.33, and 3.54 in Set 2.

Li responded in Set 3, winning the set with a 4.49 median after Wang recorded a 5.06. It was Li’s only set win of the match and briefly cut the score to 2-1.

Wang then closed the semifinal by winning the next two sets. He took Set 4 with a 4.80 median, then finished the match with his fastest set of the day, recording 4.52, 3.48, and 3.40 for a 3.48 median in Set 5.

Across the full match, Wang finished with a 4.52 overall median, compared with Li’s 4.91.

The result sets up a major final between Wang and Xuanyi Geng, the two fastest 3x3 average holders in WCA history. Wang currently holds the official world record average at 3.51, while Geng previously held the record at 3.71.

With Wang’s semifinal win, the season now builds toward an in-person final between two competitors who have helped define the current era of 3x3 speed.