Wu Yize: China’s ‘priest’ who conquered the snooker world

SHEFFIELD – China’s Wu Yize is said to have shared a single bed with his father Wu Jiepin in a windowless flat as he sacrificed his home life to follow his snooker dreams.

Now, just a few years later, Wu is world champion after defeating Shaun Murphy 18-17 in the final at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre on May 4.

Wu, who is 22 but looks younger, follows in the footsteps of Zhao Xintong, who in 2025 became the first Chinese player to win snooker’s most cherished prize.

“(Zhao’s success) definitely made me believe in myself more because he made history,” Wu has said.

“This is not just a breakthrough, rather our era is approaching now!” China’s Ding Junhui, the beaten world finalist from 2016, wrote on social media platform Weibo.

Wu is the second youngest to claim the title after Stephen Hendry, who won his first world title aged 21 in 1990.

“I’d like to be the first to congratulate Wu Yize and his family and everyone around him for being a wonderful world champion,” Murphy told the BBC.

“I hate being right; I said sometime earlier in the season... that he would be world champion one day. It’s just a real shame that it was today.”

In addition to hoisting the trophy, Wu also collected £500,000 (S$864,000) in prize money and rose to No. 4 in the world rankings.

Those in the know have long tipped Wu for the top.

In February, seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan said the Chinese ace would be world No. 1 within three years, with the Englishman calling him a “phenomenal player”.

In China, Wu has earned the nicknames “Little Wu” and “Priest Wu”, the latter mainly because of a previous hairstyle which people said made him look like a priest.

Others still use it because it also reflects his composure and calm demeanour around the table.

Wu was born on Oct 14, 2003, in the city of Lanzhou, in Gansu province, in China’s rugged north-west region.

Wu, whose idol is O’Sullivan, was taken by his father to a snooker hall for the first time when he was seven.

His talent was obvious and four years later his father, who ran an antique business, took him to train in Yushan on the other side of the country.

The International Billiards Academy there is a talent factory for Chinese stars of the future.

At 16, he made the move to Sheffield, the English city regarded as the home of snooker.

It was not easy, far away from home and having to master a language, culture and food that were totally new to him.

His father was with him, but money was tight.

“His dad gave up his job. I don’t think either of them could speak any English when they came over,” Rob Walker, broadcaster and master of ceremonies for World Snooker, told Chinese state broadcaster CGTN.

“They famously shared a single bed in a one-bedroom flat with no window for three years because they were determined that he would pursue this dream.”

Even now, Wu’s mother remains in China and visits only occasionally.

After his title win on May 4, Wu said: “My parents are the true champions. Since I made the decision to drop out of school, my dad has been by my side. My mum has also been going through a lot over the years. They are the source of my strength; I love them so much.”

Wu’s talent, diligence and commitment soon began to pay off while he was in England.

In 2021, he turned professional and reached the last 32 of the UK Championship. In 2022, he was named Rookie of the Year and in 2024, he reached his first final of a ranking event.

In 2025, he made his big breakthrough when he beat the likes of Zhao, Judd Trump, and John Higgins in the final, to win his first ranking title at the International Championship.

Even as he joins Zhao as world champions from China, Wu has not forgotten his roots.

He has set up a snooker hall under his own name in his hometown of Lanzhou and occasionally gives advice to budding young players.

Speaking previously to reporters in Sheffield, Wu said he would buy a house if he won the world title.

“In the beginning, there was not a lot of prize money,” Wu said, according to the BBC.

“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.”
AFP, REUTERS