Beijing time on May 5, Wu Yize secured his first World Snooker Championship title with a decisive performance in the final frame, becoming the first player born in the 2000s to achieve this honor. This victory marks the second consecutive year a Chinese player has won snooker’s ultimate prize, following Zhao Xintong’s triumph last year.
The final, played over 35 frames in four sessions, was a nail-biter. In the fourth session, Wu carried his strong form from the third, taking an early frame with an 88 break, only for Mark Williams to level at 14-14. Wu then went ahead three times, with Williams equalizing each time. In the 33rd frame, Wu trailed by 45 points but fought back with a 91 break to reach match point. The 34th frame saw Wu miss a simple black after scoring 43, allowing Williams to force a decider—the first time the Crucible final had gone to a deciding frame since 2002.
In the decisive frame, faced with a difficult red in the center pocket, Wu calmly potted it and followed up with a brilliant 85 break to seal the victory. At 22 years old, Wu becomes the second-youngest world champion in history.
After the win, Zhao Xintong quickly posted on social media: “This is Chinese snooker! Congratulations, Wu Yize!” Ding Junhui also sent his regards, saying, “Happy for you, and proud of Chinese snooker today. This is not just a breakthrough—our era is arriving.”
This championship is Wu’s second ranking title. The tournament saw a record 11 Chinese players qualify for the main event, including veterans like Ding Junhui, middle-generation players such as Xiao Guodong and Zhang Anda, and rising stars like Zhao Xintong and Wu Yize. With back-to-back world champions, Chinese snooker continues to write history.
