Wu Yize battled back from a 12-10 deficit in the Crucible final to defeat Sean Murphy 18-17 to become the second-youngest world snooker champion in history. The 22-year-old said: “Ronnie texted me and told me to stay focused, stay calm and try to play to my strengths.”
Last updated: 05/05/26 16:05
Wu Yize beats Shaun Murphy to become second-youngest winner of the World Snooker Championship
New world snooker champion Wu Yize says he received a text message from seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan offering advice during a crucial moment in his Crucible final against Sean Murphy.
The 22-year-old defeated Murphy 18-17 in the final match on Monday night to become the second-youngest world champion in history. Stephen Hendry is tied with O’Sullivan for the most world titles, winning his first title in 1990 at the age of 21.
Wu cruised through the first two sessions on Sunday and started Monday with a strong 10-7 lead over Murphy, but went on to lose the first five frames of the afternoon as Murphy led 12-10.
At one point it looked like Murphy would win all eight frames of the session, but Wu stepped up and stopped the rot, winning the final three frames and restoring the lead into the evening.
Ronnie O’Sullivan predicted earlier this year that Wu would become world champion.
“I wasn’t playing that bad, but I wasn’t focusing on doing my best,” Wu said on the Snooker Club podcast. “I went out to give myself time to calm down.
“Ronnie emailed me to stay focused, stay calm, and try to play to my strengths, and I’m really glad I did that.”
‘The Rocket’ has been something of a mentor to Wu this past season, working with him on the practice bench to earn his first ranking at the International Championships in November.
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O’Sullivan predicted that Wu would soon become world champion and number one in the world, and the first of those feats has now come true.
“He helped me a lot,” Wu said. “He taught me how to deal with situations in a match, how to deal with different situations on the table.
“This is definitely an experience where I learned from him and I benefit a lot from the time I spent with him.”
At the World Grand Prix in February, O’Sullivan said of Wu: “If I like them, I pass on my knowledge. If I don’t, I don’t give them two minutes of my time. I choose people with whom I feel some connection.”
“I think Wu Yize will become world No. 1. I want to give him three years. He is definitely a phenomenal player who will become world champion soon.”
He added, “I practiced with him for a few days in Hong Kong the other day, and it’s only when you practice together that you realize how good they are.After the second day, I thought, “This kid is really special.”
“I want to go and see him fulfill his potential as a professional. He’s only 22 years old. I expect him to do a lot of great things in snooker.”
