Wu Yize returned to Xi'an to a hero's welcome at the TNT billiards club, greeted by cheering crowds.
The 22-year-old became the second-youngest player ever to win the World Snooker Championship, following compatriot Lei Peifan's victory last year. Wu dropped out of school at 16 to move to Sheffield, England, to pursue his professional dream.
Fans packed the club to see Wu, who modestly waved and showed off his skills, even playing a fan who had won a local tournament for the honor. Liu YiFei, that fan, said the win has inspired her to improve and predicts a surge in China’s snooker scene.
China now accounts for a quarter of professional snooker players, with an estimated 60 million people playing in 300,000 halls nationwide. The sport's affordability fuels its popularity, especially in less-developed western regions like Wu's home province of Gansu.
Wu's rags-to-riches story, including tales of sharing a bed with his father in a windowless flat in Sheffield, resonates deeply. He plans to use his prize money to buy a home in England for his parents.
One eight-year-old fan summed up the national sentiment: "One day, I'd like to be champion like Wu Yize."