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Wu Yize had to pause his winning speech as he dedicated his World Snooker Championship title victory to his parents. When asked by BBC host Hazel Irvine for a word on his parents, who helped him move into a one-bedroom flat in Sheffield to live out his sporting dream, Wu had to take a moment to compose himself before speaking.

Wu, aged 22, becomes the second-youngest player ever to lift the title, after Stephen Hendry, and is the second Chinese winner in as many years after Zhao Xintong did so 12 months earlier. He overcame Shaun Murphy in a dramatic 18-17 final-frame decider, holding his nerve to get over the line.

After taking a long pause, Wu told his parents: "My parents are the true champions."

It was at this point that his mother had to wipe tears from her eyes, as the champion continued: "Since I made the decision to drop out of school, my dad has been by my side. My mum has also gone through a lot over the years, they are the source of my strength. I love them so much."

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On his army of new fans, who had been shouting "Wuuuu!" throughout his matches, the player admitted he initially thought they were booing him.

He said: "At the beginning I had a misunderstanding, I thought people were booing me. But the staff told me they were cheering me on and I can't thank you all enough. No matter who you support, I think the love of snooker is mutual."

When asked by Irvine how he planned to celebrate, Wu revealed he was looking forward to enjoying a "good sleep".

Wu added: "Since the first session I was feeling nerves all the time. So right now I just want to go to bed."

"I have been trying to go for the strength for ages. For the past month I have been leading the same life, I am so happy I could get this done today."

Murphy, who was bidding for his second title, after claiming victory in 2005, was equally gracious to Wu in his runner-up speech.

"I'd like to be the first to congratulate Wu Yize and his family," the Magician said. "And everyone around him for being a wonderful world champion. I hate being right, I said sometime earlier in the season, we had a great game out in China somewhere, and I managed to win that one.

"I came out afterwards and said that he would be world champion one day, it's just a real shame that it was today, but I couldn't have given it anymore, I couldn't have tried harder. I played the best shots I could have played and I didn't get my chance. I couldn't do any more than that."