The 2026 Masters tournament will showcase a formidable Chinese contingent, with five players set to compete at snooker's most prestigious invitational event. Among them are Wu Yize and Si Jiahui, two young talents now firmly entrenched in the world's top 16. Their remarkable journey from promising juniors to the sport's elite has been closely guided by an English coach based thousands of miles away in Yushan, China.
The Globe-Trotting Coach in Yushan
Roger Leighton, a 59-year-old originally from Preston but raised in Australia, has carved out a unique niche in the snooker world. After a professional playing career in the 1990s, he embarked on a globe-trotting coaching mission, teaching in 13 countries from Brazil to Serbia. For the last two decades, he has been instrumental in China's snooker boom, currently based at the Yushan International Billiards Academy. It is here he helped mould the games of Wu and Si, who are now set to star at the Masters this month.
Wu Yize: The Cheeky Kid with a Champion's Mentality
Leighton's first memories of Wu Yize are of a spirited 11-year-old who arrived for coaching in Foshan with his father. "He was a cheeky little kid at 11 years old. He was cheeky and funny," Leighton recalls. Despite his natural talent, the young Wu was technically raw. "His back arm was all over the place," says Leighton, who focused on harnessing the youngster's innate ability to build consistency.
The pressure was immediate. Wu's father declared Leighton his son's "last resort," reflecting a common, high-stakes mentality in Chinese snooker development where players are expected to show elite potential very young. Wu responded spectacularly. Within weeks, his highest break jumped from 49 to the 70s. After a comeback victory against fellow prospect Chang Bingyu, featuring breaks of 50 and 89, Wu was dissatisfied, telling Leighton, "It's no good because Ronnie [O'Sullivan] would have cleared up."
"That was his mentality at 11 years old," Leighton marvels. "He thought, 'Ronnie wouldn't miss. Why should I miss?' It's a good mentality to have, but it's crazy because, he came with a highest of 49!" The rapid improvement continued. Within months, Wu made his first century break and defeated established pro Cao Yupeng. Now 22 and the recent winner of the International Championship after beating John Higgins, Wu faces defending champion Shaun Murphy at the Masters on Sunday 11 January.
Si Jiahui: The Bulldog with Unshakeable Determination
While Wu dazzled with flair, Si Jiahui’s rise was built on different qualities. Leighton notes that Si was often beaten in their youth by contemporaries like Fan Zhengyi and the exceptionally talented Luo Honghao. "Si Jiahui wasn't the best of my students... Everyone was beating Si Jiahui, but he was like a bulldog. He was solid. He was consistent and he was a worker," Leighton explains.
This relentless dedication, coupled with a technique Leighton describes as "great," propelled Si to his stunning World Championship semi-final run in 2023 and two ranking finals since. "He was the only person from China that I've ever seen like that," says Leighton, comparing Si's tenacious, fight-to-win approach to an "English mentality." Si Jiahui begins his Masters campaign against world number two Kyren Wilson on Tuesday 13 January.
The Turbulent Paths of Other Prodigies
Leighton's reflections reveal the unpredictable nature of snooker development. He identifies Luo Honghao as the most gifted of all his students, a player who reached the Crucible and ranking quarter-finals but who, at just 25, has been off the tour for four years. "He's not a professional anymore, he makes money on TikTok in China teaching," Leighton reveals, attributing his decline to lost confidence after a relationship.
Another, Chen Zifan, was "amazing in training" but was later banned for match-fixing. Leighton also discusses Chang Bingyu, who was banned for two years after being coerced into fixing a match by the since-lifetime-banned Liang Wenbo. "Chang was in a vulnerable position," Leighton states, noting the youngster is now back on tour and performing well again.
From his vantage point in Yushan, Roger Leighton will watch with pride as his former pupils take centre stage at Alexandra Palace. While he once expected Wu, Si, Fan, Chang, and Luo to all reach the world's top 32, Wu Yize now appears poised to lead the pack. "I'm now expecting Wu Yize to be the best out of my students," Leighton concludes, a testament to the cheeky kid from Foshan's extraordinary journey to snooker's summit.
