Wu Yize lifts the World Championship trophy
Wu Yize's dramatic victory over Shaun Murphy late on Monday evening means China has a world snooker champion for the second successive year.
It also vindicates his decision to move to Sheffield as a 16-year-old to pursue his dream.
The 22-year-old, who initially lived in a windowless flat and slept on the same bed as his father after the move to the UK from his home city of Lanzhou, turned professional at 17 and has now collected the sport's biggest prize.
He defeated Murphy 18-17 in one of the best Crucible finals to become the second-youngest player to win a world title, with only Stephen Hendry's 1990 victory as a 21-year-old coming at a younger age.
The final pitted two of the most attacking players in snooker against each other and it was also a contest between different generations.
Wu was only 18 months old when Murphy won his only previous world title to date in 2005 - also as a 22-year-old.
Watch the moment Wu clinched the world title
After Wu advanced past Lei Peifan, Mark Selby, Hossein Vafaei and Mark Allen, his final-frame win over Murphy saw him follow in the footsteps of last year's winner Zhao - having been tipped as a future world champion by both Ronnie O'Sullivan and Murphy.
Wu, who enjoys playing mobile games like Honour of Kings and League of Legends and watching his favourite movie The Shawshank Redemption, was regarded as the sport's new superstar in the making before his Crucible triumph.
O'Sullivan, the game's most decorated player, and Scottish great John Higgins have previously offered advice and guidance.
Wu Yize has become China's second successive world snooker champion, following Zhao Xintong's victory in 2025
Breakthrough season and rise in rankings
The 2025-26 season has been a breakthrough campaign for Wu.
He claimed his first ranking title at the International Championship in Nanjing last November, then reached the semi-finals of the Masters on his debut.
That form enabled him to rise up to 10th in the world rankings and he will now climb to fourth after picking up snooker's most famous silverware on Monday.
Challenges and personal background
However, things have not always come easy for Wu, who told the media earlier in the tournament that he would purchase his ideal home if he collected the winner's prize of £500,000.
His mother, who is in Sheffield for the tournament, still lives in China and is only an occasional visitor to the UK.
"In the beginning there was not a lot of prize money, so there was definitely a lot of pressure and also there was a lot for myself to improve in terms of my game, so I was definitely feeling the pressure at the time," said Wu.
"I wasn't mentally in a good place, but I'm really happy I overcame many difficulties to come to here to where I am today."
Distinctive style and individuality
Aside from his swashbuckling and fearless attacking play, there is one other notable thing that stands out where Wu is concerned - his mullet hairstyle.
While that has been dispensed with recently, it highlights that he is not afraid to display his individuality in a sport known for its formal attire and disciplined appearance and that attitude has carried him to glory.
Wu beats Murphy in decider to win world title
