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Chinese snooker sensation Wu Yize has etched his name in the history books by becoming the first player born after 2000 to win the World Snooker Championship. In a thrilling final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England, in the early hours of May 5, 2026, Beijing time, the 23-year-old Chinese star defeated England’s Shaun Murphy 18-17. Wu is also the second Chinese player to claim the world title, following Zhao Xintong.
The World Snooker Championship is the most prestigious and highest-level event in the sport. This year, a record 11 Chinese players qualified for the main tournament, with Zhao Xintong, Ding Junhui, Xiao Guodong, and Wu Yize advancing to the last 16.
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Born in 2003, Wu Yize was the biggest dark horse of this year’s tournament. He stormed through the early rounds, defeating Ryan Day with a huge margin, then overcame England’s Mark Selby with tenacious play. Iranian player Hossein Vafaei and Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen also fell to Wu’s consecutive winning streak, making him the first post-2000s player ever to reach a World Championship final.
Following Zhao Xintong’s triumph as a wild card last season, Chinese players have now reached the World Championship final for two consecutive years. Wu’s opponent in the final was England’s Shaun Murphy, a former world champion who was in excellent form, having eliminated defending champion Zhao Xintong in the quarterfinals.
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The final was played under a best-of-35 format, divided into four sessions. Wu took the first session 3-0, but Murphy responded with breaks of 85, 98, 77, and 109 to tie the score at 4-4 after the first session.
In the second session, Wu again started strong, winning two consecutive frames with breaks of 82 and 103. The players then exchanged frames, and Wu led 10-7 at the end of the session.
In the third session, the more experienced Murphy mounted a comeback, winning five straight frames with four 50+ breaks (76, 52, 59, and 60). Wu kept his composure, hitting three 50+ breaks (64, 61, and 60) to steady the ship and regain his lead.
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The deciding session began in the early hours of May 5. The players exchanged frames, with the score tied at 16-16 after 32 frames. In frame 33, Murphy started well but both players made errors. Wu seized his opportunity to clear the table and take the match point. In frame 34, Wu missed a crucial black ball, and Murphy leveled the match with a high-difficulty combination shot. In the decider, Murphy made an early red but left a snooker. Wu’s escape gave Murphy a chance, but he could not build a sustained attack. Under immense pressure, Wu held his nerve and completed a superb clearance to secure a dramatic victory.
After making history, Wu said that the belief in winning had always driven him. “I was desperate to be the world champion,” he said. “I think no one wanted it more than me. I was willing to give everything for it.”
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He also expressed special gratitude to his parents. “They are the real champions, my eternal source of strength,” he added.
