In the early hours of May 5, Beijing time, the 2026 World Snooker Championship concluded in Sheffield, England. Chinese rising star Wu Yize, making his debut in the final, defeated English veteran Shaun Murphy 18-17 to become the first world champion born after the year 2000. He is also the second Chinese player to win the prestigious title, following Zhao Xintong’s victory last year.
The World Snooker Championship is the most influential and highest-level event in the sport. A record 11 Chinese players entered the main draw this year, with four—Zhao Xintong, Ding Junhui, Xiao Guodong, and Wu Yize—advancing to the last 16. For the second straight season, a Chinese player reached the final, with Murphy eliminating defending champion Zhao Xintong in the quarterfinals.
The final was contested over four sessions using a best-of-35 format. Wu started strong, winning the first three frames, but Murphy responded with breaks of 85, 98, 77, and 109 to level at 4-4 after the opening session. In the second session, Wu regained momentum with runs of 82 and 103, building a 10-7 lead. The more experienced Murphy fought back in the third session, winning five consecutive frames with four half-century breaks (76, 52, 59, 60). Wu steadied himself with three half-centuries (64, 61, 60) to reclaim the advantage.
The decisive fourth session began with both players trading frames, entering the 32nd frame tied at 16-16 after Murphy cleared the table with a century break. Murphy took the next frame to lead, but Wu responded with a clearance to force a decider. In the final frame, Murphy missed a chance after a safety battle, and Wu held his nerve to seal the victory with a match-winning break.
Wu’s journey to the title was remarkable: he defeated Lei Peifan 10-2 in the first round, beat four-time champion Mark Selby 13-11 in the second, overcame Hossein Vafaei 13-8 in the quarterfinals, and staged a comeback from 14-16 down to beat Mark Allen 17-16 in the semifinals, becoming the first post-2000s player to reach a world championship final.
Born in October 2003 in Lanzhou, Gansu province, Wu started playing snooker at age seven under his father Wu Jiepin’s guidance. He also trained under national champion Da Hailin. At just nine, he faced “King of Snooker” Stephen Hendry in an exhibition match. In 2016, at 13, he began full-time professional training. Two years later, he won the national youth title and the IBSF World Under-21 Championship. In 2019, he moved to Sheffield, England, with his father, facing language barriers and financial struggles.
Wu claimed his first ranking title in November 2025 by beating John Higgins 10-6 at the International Championship, producing four century breaks. After winning the world title, Wu said, “I’ve always dreamed of this championship. No one wanted it more than me.”
