Wu Yize sends tear-jerking message to his parents after mum’s health struggles

Wu Yize paid a moving tribute to his parents after great sacrifices paid off by him winning the World Snooker Championship.

The 22-year-old won an all-time great Crucible final by beating Shaun Murphy 18-17, the first deciding frame win in a Sheffield showpiece for 24 years.

The Chinese star won swathes of new fans thanks to his thrilling, attacking style of play and drama-filled games, having also downed Mark Allen in a decider in the semis.

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 the uber-talented cueist was a teenager.

Money was so tight that the pair shared a ‘tiny windowless room, sleeping on the same bed’ as he tried to pot the balls to earn their way out of the situation.

He has done that in style, winning the £500,000 top prize at the Crucible and catapulting himself to snooker superstardom.

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Speaking on the arena floor after becoming the second youngest world champion ever, Wu told the BBC through a translator: ‘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.’

The new world champion revealed in his post-match press conference that his mother has been ill and in and out of hospital ‘for a long time’ but is now in a better position.

‘My mum wasn’t in very good health condition for a long time, during that time we were in Sheffield, she has been in hospital a lot,’ he explained. ‘She is forever a source of strength to me.

‘She is feeling much better now. This is the second time she has visited me in the UK, I think in the future I will take her more to be by my side.

‘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.

‘I never had a thought to give up,’ he said. ‘Obviously that time was a very tough moment in my life. Living in a poor condition like that, I had so much acne, maybe because of an infection from the air condition.

‘But I think it was a strength I have built over the years. If you really love snooker it is the path you have to go through and fight through.’

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.

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