On the early morning of May 5, 2026, the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield witnessed history as Wu Yize defeated England’s Shaun Murphy 18-17 in the World Snooker Championship final. After Murphy missed a positional shot in the deciding frame, Wu capitalized with a composed break of 85 to seal the victory, ending a grueling four-stage, 35-frame battle. The final was the first to go to a decider since 2002 when Peter Ebdon edged Stephen Hendry 18-17.
At just 22, Wu Yize became snooker’s first world champion born after 2000, the youngest Chinese player to reach a world final, and only the third Chinese player—following Ding Junhui and Zhao Xintong—to contest the title. He also joined Zhao as the second Chinese world champion. His victory propelled him from world No. 10 into the top four.
Behind his triumph lies a decade-long sacrifice by his family. In 2016, when Wu was 13 and showing promise in Lanzhou, his father Wu Jieping made a decision that seemed irrational to outsiders: he closed his small shop, sold the family home, and moved with his son to Dongguan for professional training. The proceeds from the house quickly dwindled, and to keep his son’s dream alive, the father took multiple odd jobs—working in factories during the day, driving at night, and loading cargo at dawn.
The journey later took them to Sheffield, where they lived in a damp basement to save money. Wu Jieping learned to repair cues and replace tips to cut costs. Meanwhile, Wu’s mother stayed in Lanzhou, working a steady job to support the family from afar. The financial and emotional toll was immense, but Wu Yize never forgot their sacrifice. “I really thank my parents,” he said after the final. “They are the true champions. My father never left my side, and my mother endured so much. They are my eternal strength.”
Wu Yize’s rise has been steady. After turning professional in 2021, he endured early struggles, often losing in qualifiers or first-round exits. But a breakthrough came in late 2024 when he reached two consecutive ranking finals. His first ranking title arrived in November 2025 at the International Championship in Nanjing, where he beat four-time world champion John Higgins 10-6. Along the way, he overturned a 0-4 deficit against world No. 1 Judd Trump and defeated Zhao Xintong in the semis. That win lifted him into the top 16 and secured berths in the UK Championship and Masters.
In early 2026, he reached the Masters semifinals and scored his first career 147 at the Championship League. At the Crucible, he battled past Mark Selby, Hossein Vafaei, and Mark Allen in a thrilling semifinal. Allen led 16-14, but Wu saved two match points and sealed the decider with a long pot and a 71 break. Six-time world champion Steve Davis praised his composure: “When the chance came, he stayed calm, kept his stroke together, and played solidly.”
Wu Yize’s commercial value is now surging. The 2026 world title came with £500,000 in prize money, and his family’s long gamble is paying off
