James Wade created a comical moment that quickly spread on social media during the 2026 UK Open semi-final. The Englishman shared a joke with Gerwyn Price by demonstratively shaking hands with himself after Price initially walked past him without noticing. Wade, with a broad grin, turned around and pretended to shake his own hand, a clear nod to the missed connection, which the crowd in the arena appreciated for its humour.
The commentators visibly enjoyed the moment, with ITV commentator Dan Dawson remarking dryly: "And there will be a handshake eventually." Former pro and analyst Glen Durrant couldn't resist a joke either: "I thought you said they were good friends!" Moments later, Wade still walked over to Price and the two players exchanged a normal handshake before the match officially began.
Although the moment was light-hearted, Wade and Price then served up a highly serious and gripping contest in the semi-final of the prestigious TV tournament. The match stayed level for a long time, with no fewer than nineteen legs played. Ultimately, Wade edged it, winning 11-8 to book his place in the final, where he would eventually lose 11-7 to Luke Littler. This marked Wade reaching the UK Open final for the second year in a row.
For Wade, it was not the first time he produced a striking moment on stage. Almost exactly a year ago, he also made headlines during a match against Luke Humphries by appearing to playfully lick his opponent's neck. Earlier this year, during the Winmau World Masters, Madars Razma accused him of not shaking hands properly after their match. The incident with Price, however, mainly shows that Wade hasn't lost his sense of humour, and he had the last laugh by reaching the UK Open final.
