Top News

Wu Yize's incredible first World Snooker Championship triumph has gone viral on Chinese social media. The 22-year-old beat Shaun Murphy 18-17 in Monday's breathtaking final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

The epic encounter marked the tournament's first 35th-frame decider since 2002, allowing Wu to become the second youngest winner ever while pocketing a hefty £500,000 cheque along with the sport's most coveted prize. Wu also became the second Chinese player in a row to become world champion, following compatriot Zhao Xintong's historic triumph in 2025, when he became the first Chinese star to manage the feat. China's recent rise to the top has unsurprisingly led to a surge in snooker's popularity in the country, as seen by the stir Wu's success sparked in the aftermath of the Sheffield showpiece.

EXPRESS SPORT ON FB!Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page

The hashtag "Wu Yize wins the World Championship" had more than 40million views on Chinese social media app Weibo by Tuesday morning, briefly topping the platform's list of trending topics. A photo dating back to 2012 of an eight-year-old Wu with Stephen Hendry in Lanzhou also resurfaced online, with a related hash tag gaining 2.9million views.

Another hash tag referring to Wu's father selling the family home in Lanzhou, in China's northwest, to invest in his son's snooker career had 18million views by midday Tuesday. Wu's dad had also closed his antique shop so he could accompany his son as they travelled the country and later moved to Sheffield together.

Wu's parents were moved to tears during Monday's trophy ceremony as snooker's latest superstar labelled them the "true champions". He said: "Since I made the decision to drop out of school, my dad has been at 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."

Support online also came in the form of messages of congratulations from other Chinese snooker stars. Last year's winner Zhao, who crashed out of this year's tournament to Murphy, wrote on social media: "This is Chinese snooker, congratulations Wu Yize."

Meanwhile, Chinese trailblazer Ding Junhui, who reached the final back in 2016, went a step further by writing on Weibo: "This is not just a breakthrough, rather our era is approaching now! Happy for you and proud that Chinese snooker can make it to this day."

The Dongguan Billiards Association, where Wu trained in 2019 and which has helped develop elite Chinese players, including Ding, also offered its congratulations. A statement read: "Your growth from a young dreamer to a world champion is... a testament to the vigorous rise of a new generation of Chinese snooker strength."

Wu, who draped himself in the Chinese flag after his win, was also congratulated by the official Communist Party newspaper People's Daily.