Wu Yize has opened up about the sacrifices made by his hospitalised mother, which he says were instrumental in his journey to becoming World Snooker Champion. The 22-year-old Chinese player defeated Shaun Murphy at the Crucible to claim the title, becoming his country's second successive world champion after Zhao Xintong.
Yize moved to Sheffield from Lanzhou six years ago with his father, Wu Jianguo, while his mother, Guo Ping, remained in China. Two years into his stay, she fell ill and was hospitalised, but insisted that her son and husband stay in the UK to pursue his dreams. Speaking to The Daily Record, Yize said: 'My mum wasn’t in a very good health condition for a long time. During that time, when we were in Sheffield, she had been staying a lot in the hospital, so she’s forever the 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.'
The early years in England were challenging, with Yize and his father living in a small, windowless room and sometimes sharing a bed. Despite the difficulties, Yize never considered quitting. 'I never had a thought about giving up. Obviously at that time, it was a very tough moment in my life. Living in a poor condition like that, I had so much acne, maybe because of the air-conditioned infections. But I think that’s the strength I’ve built over the years. If you really love sport, that’s the path you have to go through and fight through,' he said.
Yize had promised before the final to use part of his £500,000 prize money to buy a house for his parents, and he confirmed the plan afterwards. 'I will probably buy here in the UK because, as a professional athlete, most of the time I’m training and playing here,' he said. His mother, who has since recovered, was present at the Crucible to see his victory, with both parents in tears.
Looking ahead, Yize plans to take a short break before returning to training. 'I will give myself a few days off, maybe 10 days or a few more days. After that, I will go back to training because as a professional snooker player, when everything is already in the past, you have to move on and do your best again,' he said. He also expressed hope that more Chinese players will follow in his footsteps, saying: 'The best is still yet to come for Chinese snooker.'
