Wu Yize backed to win 'many more' titles after World Snooker Championship glory at Crucible - 'Everyone's in trouble'
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Updated 05/05/2026 at 07:51 GMT+1
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Wu Yize won the World Snooker Championship in dramatic fashion and TNT Sports expert Alan McManus believes the 22-year-old will have "many more" famous triumphs at the Crucible to come.
'Releasing the emotion now' - Wu wraps up epic final win over Murphy
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wu defeated Shaun Murphy 18-17 after a thrilling deciding frame - the first such climax since 2002 - winning just the second ranking title of his embryonic career.
In fact, the star from Lanzhou, China had not tasted victory in a ranking final before this season, breaking his duck at the International Championship in November 2025.
Just six months later, Wu is standing on top of the world, joining the likes of Neil Robertson, Luca Brecel and Zhao Xintong as overseas winners of snooker's greatest tournament.
And while there are no multiple world champions as yet outside of the UK and Ireland, TNT Sports expert McManus reckons Wu has the talent to shatter that statistic.
"It is a global game now and he, Wu Yize, is now at the forefront of it," said McManus. "He'll have a fabulous season, I think, as champion, playing in everything, as his predecessor did in Xintong, and good luck to him.
"He's going to win many more of these, I would say. And as I say, it's fantastic to see the fulfilment of the talent that he has."
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'One of the shots of the tournament' - Wu pots stellar yellow to pinch frame
Video credit: TNT Sports
In a seesaw fourth and final session, which Wu led 13-12 at its onset, the champion extended his cushion to two before Murphy hit back with a double salvo to level proceedings.
From there, the finalists took turns at adding one to their total, including a sumptuous 131 from Murphy in the 32nd frame, as the match drifted unerringly towards a do-or-die decider.
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And it was Wu who claimed glory with a clutch break of 85, rocketing him into "a whole different stratosphere".
"He's now a bona fide champion," said McManus. "We knew he was a champion when he won the International [Championship] this season, but this is a whole different stratosphere that he's about to enter into.
"It's wonderful for me and all of us, I think, to see the fulfilment of a talent that we suspected and knew in our hearts was going to come to fruition, and boy, did it. He was unbelievable in the way he kept coming and coming again against a champion in Shaun Murphy.
"The break that he made of 85 to get the final won was out of this world, as good as anything you'll ever see."
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'What a shot' - Wu pots stunning red to set up winning break in deciding frame
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wu's long potting and attacking play had left all comers in his wake over the fortnight in Sheffield, with TNT Sports' Jimmy White noting that the worry for his competition is that he can still work on his tactical game to improve even further.
"Incredible," reflected White. "It just shows you the strength in depth from the Chinese snooker players. But Wu Yize, his self-belief was next to none. His long potting has been phenomenal throughout this tournament to put so much pressure on his opponent.
"A few times, he did play the wrong shots, but a high percentage of the long pots kept going in and that's why he's won the World Championship.
"He'll probably come back next year, after next season of being world champion, as a better tactical player. So I think everybody's in trouble.
"But great to see a player that attacks the game and plays the modern way. He's very good on the eye and I'm very pleased for him because he's a terrific lad, and him and his dad work so hard at Ding's [Junhui] academy. They're there every day, they deserve it, great talent."
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'My parents are the true champions' - Wu praises mum and dad after Crucible final win
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wu's victory ensured the coveted trophy would stay in China for another season longer after Zhao became the first Chinese player to capture it in 2025.
And 12-time women's world champion Reanne Evans was delighted that Wu, who was draped in his country's flag as he celebrated the title, is yet another example of how much the game has grown in the Far East.
"I heard someone say that someone brought the [Chinese] flag into the dressing room for him and said, 'Right, we want you to know that you're not alone, win or lose. We're all proud of you.' And that's what it's all about," said Evans.
"They all bring each other on. They're all there for each other. Obviously, it's a big move coming over to England to base yourself and gradually there's more and more. So they've got their own little community.
"I just think it's fantastic that they're all there to help each other through, and hopefully, Xintong and Ding can help him realise what he's achieved and how to deal with it as well, because hopefully, this guy can just go above, above, above and beyond, because he's an absolutely fantastic guy. He really is."
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