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Ding Junhui hailed fellow countryman Wu Yize for bringing the "dawn of an era" of Chinese snooker stars after securing the World Championship. The 22-year-old beat Shaun Murphy 18-17 in the tense final, pocketing £500,000 and continuing a new trend of major tournament winners.

In 2025, Zhao Xintong lifted the World Snooker Championship trophy against Mark Williams, becoming the first Chinese winner and the first non-British winner since Belgium's Luca Brecel in 2023. Wu continued this new direction of victors against Murphy, winning the world title just five years after turning professional. Ding congratulated his fellow Chinese snooker player on the win, claiming that a new "dawn" is just beginning for the sport.

Writing on Weibo, the 39-year-old said: "I am happy for you, and I am also proud of how far Chinese snooker has come.

"From Zhao Xintong to Wu Yize, for two consecutive years, Chinese players have stood atop the podium at the World Championships. This is not just a breakthrough, but the dawn of our era!"

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Only three Chinese players have ever reached a final at the Crucible, including winners Zhao and Wu. Ding made the deciding match as the first Asian star to do so in 2016, but lost to Mark Selby.

Wu shared his emotions following the impressive win, admitting his family played a huge part in his success. The young champion said: "I have been trying to go for this for ages.

"For the past few months, I have been living the same life. I am so happy that I could play well today. Since I made the decision to drop out of school, my dad has been by my side.

"My mum has also been going through a lot over the years. They are the source of my strength, I love them so much."