New snooker world champion Wu Yize told CGTN it feels "incredible" to be the second successive Chinese title winner after his deciding frame final victory over Shaun Murphy on Monday.
Wu draped in the Chinese flag and posing for photos with the media. /CFP
At 22, Wu is the second youngest world title winner. He moved to the UK city of Sheffield from Lanzhou aged 16, at first sharing a one-bedroom flat with his father Wu Jianguo while mother Guo Pin remained behind in China.
Wu told CGTN's Li Jianhua in an exclusive interview that he was "truly grateful" to his parents for their sacrifice.
He said: "There's so much I want to say to them. I'm truly grateful—they've been with me since I was young, supporting me all the way. No matter what happens, they're always there supporting me. I'm really, really thankful to them."
Wu flanked by father Wu Jianguo and mother Guo Pin, with the trophy. /CFP
Wu was constantly serenaded with chants of 'Wuuuu' from the Crucible crowd and showed remarkable composure in a final packed with momentum swings, with the players level at 14-14, 15-15 and 16-16 during a tense evening session, to win in the Sheffield heartland of world snooker.
The match went all the way to a deciding frame, where Wu seized control after a cagey start and produced a decisive break of 85 to seal victory.
He said: "It was incredible—something I'd never felt before. It's that real sense of happiness you get when you truly love something and work hard to achieve it. For me, that feeling is what matters most. It's what guides me."
In addition to hoisting the trophy Wu also collected £500,000 ($676,400) in prize money.
'Proud'
Wu is just a year younger than Stephen Hendry was when the Scot won his first world title aged 21 in 1990 and a few weeks younger than his opponent Murphy when the Englishman won his only world title in 2005.
"I feel proud of myself. All my effort has paid off. I'm really happy, and I just hope I can stay true to why I started and keep moving forward," Wu explained.
He described Murphy as "an incredibly well-rounded—and quite intimidating—player whose attacking play and scoring are outstanding."
Wu added: "Throughout the match he was putting me under a lot of pressure. He's really, really good. And to be honest, at the end I probably had a bit of luck on my side."
Shaun Murphy congratulates Wu on his victory. /CFP
Wu's victory was notable for his tactical bravery and willingness to take on risky long-pots which most players would have eschewed.
He declared: "I think one of my strengths is stepping up in those moments when you have to take a risk. Sometimes I just go all in on the attack. I just feel if you don't score, I'm going to lose. In those moments, I don't overthink it. I just follow my instincts."
One year ago all the talk was of Wu's compatriot Zhao Xintong who became the first ever Chinese world champion. And with 11 of the tournament's 32 qualifiers for this year's tournament coming from China, the stage is set for possible Sino domination of the event. Before Zhao's victory, there had only been five previous non-UK winners of the tournament since its inception in 1927.
Incredible potting ability
Several snooker pundits believe Wu could dominate the sport for years to come due to the combination of his incredible potting ability and unflappable temperament.
The worry for his rivals is that Wu still thinks he can improve. "I'll work on my defense, but I don't think I'll change my overall style. When I need to play defensively, I'll practise and improve. My defense is definitely a weakness, but I don't want to lose my style."
While Wu says he wants to catch up on sleep after his adrenaline-fuelled 17-day race to the title, he acknowledges that things could have worked out very differently.
Opponent Mark Allen missed a routine black ball pot in the semi-final that would have put him in the final instead of Wu.
"Honestly, even now it still feels unreal. After that shot, I thought I'd be heading back to China—but somehow I'm still here. Sometimes it feels like everything was meant to happen this way. I'll never forget this."
Interview by Li Jianhua
Source(s): Reuters