At just 22 years old, Wu Yize completed an extraordinary journey to become the 2026 World Snooker Champion, a triumph built on years of hardship and sacrifice shared by his entire family.
Inside Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre on Monday night, fans erupted in celebration as Wu edged Shaun Murphy 18-17 in a dramatic final. When the last black ball dropped, Wu secured more than just a world title, he validated every sacrifice his parents had made to support his dream.
Wu’s rise to the top began in China, where his talent with a cue became obvious from a young age. Believing their son had exceptional potential, his father, Wu Jiepin, closed the antique business he had run for years so he could fully support Wu’s training and travel across the country for tournaments. According to reports, the family eventually exhausted their savings pursuing the snooker dream.
At 11, Wu moved with his father to Foshan to train under Australian coach Roger Leighton. His progress was immediate, with his highest break quickly jumping from 49 to nearly 90. Leighton later recalled Wu as a playful and fearless child whose natural ability stood out almost instantly.
Two years later, Wu’s father sold the family’s only apartment in Lanzhou so his son could attend the Ding Junhui Snooker Academy in Dongguan. But even that was not enough. To truly compete at the highest level, Wu needed to relocate to England, the center of professional snooker.
At just 16, Wu moved to Sheffield with his father, who quit his job to accompany him. Life there was extremely difficult. For two years, the pair lived in a tiny windowless room and shared a bed because they could not afford better accommodation. Wu’s father worked several jobs simply to keep them afloat financially.
Wu later admitted the transition to life in the U.K. was mentally exhausting. Adjusting to a new culture, coping with financial strain, and fighting to improve his game created immense pressure during the early years of his career.
While Wu and his father struggled in Sheffield, his mother battled serious health issues back home in China. Despite spending long periods in hospital, she encouraged her son not to return home and instead focus on protecting his professional career. Wu later described her as his greatest source of strength and said both of his parents sacrificed everything for him.
Wu turned professional in 2021 at age 17 and quickly earned recognition as Rookie of the Year. His early years on tour included painful setbacks, including a heavy defeat to Neil Robertson in his first appearance at the Crucible in 2023 and losses in the finals of the English Open and Scottish Open in 2024.
Those disappointments ultimately shaped him into a tougher competitor. At the 2026 World Snooker Championship, Wu displayed remarkable composure throughout the demanding 17-day tournament. Facing elite opponents and immense pressure, he eventually reached a deciding frame against Murphy in the final.
With £500,000 in prize money at stake, Wu held his nerve brilliantly, producing a match-winning break of 85 to capture his first world crown. The victory made him only the second Chinese player to win the world title after Zhao Xintong and the second-youngest champion in history behind Stephen Hendry.
The triumph pushed Wu’s earnings for the season beyond £860,000. Yet instead of focusing on luxury purchases, the new champion immediately spoke about giving back to his family. He revealed plans to buy a new home for his parents and travel the world with them so they would never again have to endure financial hardship
Speaking emotionally after the final, Wu said his parents were the “true champions,” crediting them entirely for the success he achieved on snooker’s biggest stage.
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