Wu Yize Wins World Snooker Title, Beating Shaun Murphy 18-17

Wu Yize became the second Chinese player in as many years to win the world snooker championship, defeating Shaun Murphy 18-17 in the final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on Monday.

The 22-year-old from Lanzhou beat Murphy in a tight match. A year ago, Zhao Xintong had lifted the trophy and made history for China.

The victory held special meaning for Wu, who moved to the UK at age 16 with his father to chase his snooker dream while his mother battled health issues. "My mum wasn't in very good health condition for a long time," Wu said through a translator. "During that time we were in Sheffield, she has been in hospital a lot. She is forever a source of strength to me."

"She is feeling much better now. This is the second time she has visited me in the UK. I think in the future I will take her more to be by my side. She sacrificed everything for me. At that time she told me 'don't come back home, I can manage everything'. It was the second year I was playing in the UK."

Wu added that his low ranking then made it a key time to post results and hold onto his professional status. "She means everything to me."

Early on, Wu shared a bed with his father in a windowless flat in Sheffield as he built his career. His aggressive style stood out in a sport with formal dress and strict discipline.

Ronnie O'Sullivan, a seven-time world champion, and Murphy, the 2005 winner, both predicted Wu would claim the world title earlier this season.

Jason Ferguson, chairman of snooker's governing body, said Wu and others could reshape the sport. He told BBC Sport: "This boy is just outstanding. I've known Wu for a number of years, known his father for many years and seen the struggles and the tough battles to get to this stage. You cannot believe what it means to that family to actually be in that arena holding that trophy. It's quite an incredible moment. We are seeing a changing of the tide and it has to happen. Wu is really now entering that era of becoming a great where he can go on and win and win and win."

Zhao's win last year shook up Chinese snooker. Wu's success points to a strong era for players from China and a fresh chapter for the sport.

Wu's title at the International Championship in Nanjing last November pushed him to a career-high 13th in the rankings. Chinese snooker reporter Joe Liu, who works for World Snooker, said: "After that win, he was received by the vice governor of the Gansu province and this will be much bigger than that. Lanzhou is the capital of Gansu and is not a place where they have huge sports traditions or achievement, so this will be huge for his home city. During my time associating with him, at all the tournaments I've been to, I can sense his confidence. He's very confident and I think he knows he can do a lot more in the future."

The world title lifted Wu to fourth in the rankings and strengthened views that Chinese players will lead snooker with an aggressive approach. Six-time world champion Steve Davis said during BBC coverage: "The game is changing, shot selection is changing and the likes of Wu Yize are changing the face of snooker to make it much more aggressive. The modern-day players coming through have got to copy this. You can't win playing safe."

Seven-time winner Stephen Hendry said: "He's just brilliant. He plays the game properly and goes for the shots. He's obviously at a stage of his career when he's not had many scars and he's not thinking about the consequences of missing. He just gets on with it and he's having fun."

John Higgins made the semifinals in Sheffield and the Masters final this season. O'Sullivan's January 2024 win at Alexandra Palace marked the latest Triple Crown success for the 'Class of 92'.

Ferguson noted: "There is a finite amount of time that a player can perform at the optimum level. There is now a lot more talent chasing them and a lot more talent that's capable of winning. We've seen a big shift in the younger players. What we're seeing now is multiple players that can actually beat the 'Class of 92' and go all the way."

Liu agreed: "He's almost 30 years younger than those guys so I think we're definitely witnessing a change of era. A lot of players have already predicted Zhao will be the one who is in the dominant position in the next 10 years or so, but if Wu continues to grow in the next two or three years, he can up there together with Zhao."

Mark Selby and Kyren Wilson of England hold five world titles between them and took five tournaments this season, including the UK Championship and Masters.