Snooker Sensation Claims Maiden Title with O'Sullivan's Guidance
Chinese snooker prodigy Wu Yize has secured his first-ever ranking title in spectacular fashion at the International Championship, with legendary player Ronnie O'Sullivan playing a pivotal mentoring role in his success. The 22-year-old cemented his status as one of snooker's brightest talents by defeating veteran John Higgins 10-6 in the Nanjing final, demonstrating world-class ability throughout the tournament.
O'Sullivan's Mentorship Makes the Difference
O'Sullivan, who suffered an early exit from the tournament after being beaten by Jack Lisowski in the last 32, revealed he had been working closely with Wu both before and during the championship. The seven-time world champion practiced with Wu in Hong Kong prior to the event and maintained regular contact throughout the competition, offering crucial advice that ultimately contributed to the young player's breakthrough victory.
'I was practising quite a bit with Wu Yize in Hong Kong before the tournament that he won,' O'Sullivan confirmed. 'I was just telling him certain areas of his game that I think he needs to improve on if he wants to be a winner.'
The Rocket drew parallels with his own early career, when snooker great Ray Reardon provided him with similar guidance. O'Sullivan explained he was attempting to impart the same kind of wisdom that Reardon had shared with him, and was delighted to see it produce such immediate results.
Transforming Potential into Championship Success
Wu Yize's path to victory was particularly impressive, featuring wins against some of snooker's biggest names. The Chinese star defeated Judd Trump, Zhao Xintong, Barry Hawkins and Zhang Anda on his way to the final, compiling an astonishing 13 century breaks throughout the tournament that showcased his exceptional scoring power.
O'Sullivan emphasised the importance of developing a more complete game, telling Wu: 'If you want to rely on playing brilliant and winning, then carry on doing what you're doing, but if you want to be able to play OK and win, then there's certain things that are just non-negotiable.'
The mentoring relationship continued throughout the championship, with O'Sullivan adding: 'We were chatting pretty much during and after every game. Just watching him understand and kind of go, "OK, I get it."'
O'Sullivan has high expectations for Wu's future, suggesting the young player possesses the ability to dominate the sport. 'I think someone like Wu Yize, if he's able to do that, he could become a dominant player in the sport,' O'Sullivan stated. 'He's that good.'
Reactions and Future Prospects
The victory has propelled Wu into the world's top 16 rankings, establishing him among snooker's elite players. When John Higgins, the runner-up, learned of his old rival O'Sullivan's involvement in Wu's success, he responded with good humour, saying: 'Well done Ronnie!'
Higgins was also asked whether he would consider mentoring younger players himself, but expressed reservations about taking on such a role while still competing professionally. 'I know some of the young boys have asked me a couple of questions to do that and I think I would find it pretty strange to be doing that and then going to play these guys,' Higgins explained.
The Wizard of Wishaw acknowledged that players naturally gravitate toward learning from the best, noting: 'Obviously, they want to pick Ronnie's brains more than anybody's.'
All three players have now turned their attention to the UK Championship, with Higgins winning his opening match against Ben Woollaston 6-2. Wu Yize began his campaign on Sunday against Michael Holt, while O'Sullivan is scheduled to play his first match in York on Tuesday afternoon against Zhou Yuelong.
