Wu Yize claimed the World Snooker Championship title in the most dramatic fashion, edging past Shaun Murphy 18-17 in a nail-biting final-frame decider at the Crucible.
The 22-year-old Chinese star is now the second-youngest player ever to lift the trophy, behind only Stephen Hendry.
But it was his victory speech that truly captured hearts.
When BBC presenter Hazel Irvine asked him to speak about his parents, Wu had to pause and compose himself before continuing.
Wu Yize paid tribute to his family after winning the World Championship
|REUTERS
"My parents are the true champions," he told the crowd through a translator.
"Since I made the decision to drop out of school, my dad has been by my side. My mum has also gone through a lot over the years, they are the source of my strength. I love them so much."
His mother wiped tears from her eyes as her son spoke.
In his post-match press conference, Wu opened up about his mother's health battles.
"My mum wasn't in very good health for a long time. During our time in Sheffield, she was in hospital a lot," he explained. "She is forever a source of strength to me."
The good news is she's now doing much better, and this was only her second trip to visit him in Britain.
Wu Yize showed remarkable composure to win the World Snooker Championship | PAWu shared a particularly moving memory from his second year competing in the UK, when his ranking was low and results were crucial.
"She told me, 'Don't come back home; I can manage everything,'" he recalled. "She means everything to me."
The journey to this moment was anything but easy for the Wu family.
When Wu was a teenager, he and his father left their home in Lanzhou, China, and relocated to Sheffield, with the young player speaking barely any English.
His dad gave up his job to support his son's dream, and the pair lived in incredibly tough conditions during those early years.
They shared a tiny windowless room and even slept in the same bed for the first two years in Yorkshire.
Money was tight, with Wu relying on limited prize winnings to cover basic expenses like food and bills.
Homesickness hit hard too, particularly in that first year.
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Wu Yize lifts the trophy as world champion, with his parents by his side pic.twitter.com/bMKzWLMTTk
"Especially the first year, I wasn't mentally in a good place," Wu admitted earlier in the tournament.
Despite everything, Wu never wavered in his commitment to the sport.
"I never had a thought to give up," he said. "That time was very tough. I lived in poor conditions, had so much acne from the air conditioning. But if you really love snooker, it's the path you have to fight through."
Murphy was gracious in defeat, telling the crowd: "I'd like to be the first to congratulate Wu Yize and his family. I said sometime earlier in the season that he would be world champion one day, it's just a real shame that it was today."
As for celebrations, the new champion had modest plans.
"Since the first session I was feeling nerves all the time. So right now I just want to go to bed."