The 22-year-old Chinese phenom Wu Yize won an all-time great Crucible final by beating Shaun Murphy 18-17, in a nail-biting affair that was decided by a winning final frame. Showing a thrilling, attacking style of play and drama-filled games, Wu paid a moving tribute to his parents after great sacrifices paid off by him winning the World Snooker Championship. He may only be young but Wu and his family have gone on a testing journey to reach this stage, having moved over to South Yorkshire from their home nation with only his dad when Wu was a teenager. Money was so tight that the father and son shared a tiny windowless room, sleeping in the same bed. Now winning the £500,000 top prize at the Crucible and catapulting himself to snooker superstardom, Wu proclaimed ‘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 gone through a lot over the years. They are the source of my strength, I love them so much. My mother has been ill and in and out of hospital for a long time but is now in a better position. She is forever a source of strength to me. She sacrificed everything for me. At that time she told me don’t come back home, I can manage everything. It was the second year I was playing in the UK. At that time my ranking was very low so it was a crucial time for me to achieve some good results and keep my professional status. She means everything to me.’
The days of sharing a small room with his father due to financial strains are now over, but even in the tough times, he says he never considered giving up on his dream. His immense Sheffield victory means Wu climbs to number four in the world rankings and has won over £860,000 this season alone. An incredible journey and one with so much further to go, with what looks like a stellar career ahead. A great victory indeed, and a fitting tribute to parenthood !
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