Wu Yize delivered an emotional victory speech after winning the World Snooker Championship on Monday evening, overcoming Shaun Murphy 18-17 in a dramatic final-frame decider. The 22-year-old became the second-youngest champion in history, behind Stephen Hendry, and the second Chinese winner in consecutive years following Zhao Xintong's triumph 12 months ago.
Emotional Tribute to Parents
When BBC presenter Hazel Irvine invited Wu to speak about his parents, who supported his move into a one-bedroom flat in Sheffield to pursue snooker, he paused mid-sentence to compose himself. After a lengthy silence, he said: "My parents are the true champions." His mother wiped tears from her eyes as he continued: "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."
Misunderstanding Over Cheers
Wu admitted he initially thought the crowd's "Wuuuu!" chants were booing. "At the beginning I had a misunderstanding, I thought people were booing me. But the staff told me they were cheering me on, and I can't thank you enough. No matter who you support, I think the love of snooker is mutual."
Plans for Celebration
When asked about his plans, Wu revealed he was simply looking forward to a good sleep. "Since the first session I was feeling nerves all the time. So right now I just want to go to bed. I have been trying to go for the strength for ages. For the past month I have been leading the same life; I am so happy I could get this done today."
Murphy's Gracious Response
Shaun Murphy, chasing his second title after his 2005 triumph, was magnanimous in defeat. "I'd like to be the first to congratulate Wu Yize and his family," he said. "And everyone around him for being a wonderful world champion. I hate being right. I said earlier in the season, we had a great game out in China somewhere, and I managed to win that one. I came out afterwards and said that he would be world champion one day; it's just a real shame that it was today. But I couldn't have given it anymore; I couldn't have tried harder. I played the best shots I could have played, and I didn't get my chance. I couldn't do any more than that."
