China's 22-Year-Old Snooker Champ Gets Hero's Welcome Home

When Wu Yize walked into a billiards club in Xi'an this week, the crowd erupted like he'd just scored the winning goal in a World Cup final.

The shy 22-year-old smiled modestly as fans chanted his name, still adjusting to sudden fame after his dramatic World Snooker Championship victory on Monday. He became the second Chinese player in two years to claim the title, and his story has captivated an entire nation.

What makes Wu's win so special isn't just the trophy. At 16, he dropped out of school and moved to Sheffield, England, chasing a dream that seemed impossible to most people.

He shared a bed with his father in a tiny flat with no windows during those early years. They scraped by while Wu practiced relentlessly, determined to turn professional despite coming from Gansu, one of China's poorest provinces known mostly for its deserts.

Fast forward six years, and that same teenager just became the second-youngest world champion in snooker history. When asked what his first purchase would be, Wu said he'd buy a proper home for his parents in England so they could support him comfortably.

The Ripple Effect

Wu's triumph is fueling a snooker boom across China. An estimated 60 million people now play billiards annually in around 300,000 halls nationwide, and the sport keeps growing.

Fan Liu YiFei, who won a chance to play against Wu at the Xi'an event, said his success has made her train harder. "More pool halls are opening, and the sport is becoming ever more popular," she explained.

Chinese players now make up a quarter of all professionals on the global circuit, and that number will likely rise. One eight-year-old fan at the event confidently told reporters he's already pretty good and dreams of becoming champion like Wu someday.

The sport's relatively low cost makes it accessible even in western China, where economic development hasn't matched the booming southeast. For kids from modest backgrounds, Wu proves that world-class success is within reach.

One fan traveled hours by high-speed train from Gansu just to get Wu's photo signed. "I knew he'd become great," he said, beaming with provincial pride.

China now has back-to-back world snooker champions, and a new generation is already lining up to follow in their footsteps.