Kyren Wilson Urges Caution as Wu Yize Is Compared to Ronnie O’Sullivan and Steve Davis

Wu Yize is arguably the most talked-about young talent on the World Snooker Tour, but while many of the sport’s biggest names have rushed to anoint him as a future great, recent Masters champion Kyren Wilson has urged caution.

Wilson, who beat Wu in the semi-final of the 2026 Masters before going on to defeat four-time world champion John Higgins in the final, acknowledged the Chinese star’s promise, but stopped well short of placing him alongside snooker’s immortals.

“In all honesty, no. I don't think you'll ever see the likes of that again. I don't think Ronnie should be compared to anyone really,” Wilson told SportsBoom.co.uk. 

“But in terms of what's ahead for him [Wu Yize], I think he's got a fantastic future, lots of potential.”

Unlike others, Wilson was careful not to overload the 22-year-old with expectation, offering a perspective shaped by his own rise through the sport.

A Warning Born from Experience

Wilson believes Wu will soon feel the full force of expectation from a snooker-mad nation desperate for success, and that pressure, he warned, can be unforgiving.

He sent him a message that the pressure of a young nation will be on his shoulder thick and fast, and he’s going to have to deal with that, and from experience it’s not nice.

Wilson knows that burden well. He emerged as a prodigious talent in 2013 and, within three years on tour, captured his first major title at the Shanghai Masters. 

With success came expectation, as he was widely tipped to be the future of the sport.

“I think the thing that he's going to have to be wary that he is he's going to be inspiring young Chinese players as well, and they're coming through thick and fast, and they're going to want to start beating him and taking him down,” Wilson added.

“I've had to deal with that for the young English players and now the young Chinese players, and it's not nice.”

Ronnie O’Sullivan: ‘World Number One Within Three Years’

While Wilson urged restraint, snooker’s greatest-ever player has offered the ultimate seal of approval.

Seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan believes the “really special” Wu will become world number one within three years.

Wu underlined his potential in November when he won his first ranking title by beating four-time world champion John Higgins in the final of the International Championship.

"I think Wu Yize is going to be world number one, I'd give him three years, definitely going to be world champion very, very soon, [he's a] phenomenal player," said O'Sullivan, speaking before this week's World Grand Prix in Hong Kong.

"A lot of people liken him to Paul Hunter, but I think he's more like a modern-day Steve Davis.”

Shaun Murphy: ‘A Future World Champion’

O’Sullivan is not alone in his admiration. After beating Wu in the first round of the 2026 Masters, Shaun Murphy, then the defending champion, was equally effusive in defeat.

“Listen, we all wax lyrical on Wu, he’s not someone you can take lightly. He looked calm, he looked at ease. He’s a wonderful talent; he played really well today. He fully deserved his win, and he’ll be a handful for whoever he plays next,” Murphy said post-match.

Interestingly, Murphy was the same age as Wu when he lifted the World Championship in 2005, drawing a natural comparison.

“Imagine being that young, and that good.”

"I think Wu Yize is a future world champion.”

Ken Doherty Sees Ronnie Parallels

Former world champion Ken Doherty also joined the chorus of praise ahead of the Masters, highlighting Wu’s dedication and work ethic, particularly his commitment to playing left-handed.

“He reminds me of Ronnie [O’Sullivan] so much because he practices at least an hour or an hour-and-a-half every single day on playing left-handed, so he will go through his whole routine, the line-ups left-handed every single day,” Doherty said.

That comparison, however, is exactly the kind Wilson believes should be handled carefully.

While snooker’s elite continue to heap praise on Wu Yize, Kyren Wilson’s message stands out for its balance. 

Talent alone, he suggests, is not enough, managing expectation, pressure, and competition will define whether Wu fulfils the extraordinary promise others already see.

For now, the spotlight burns brighter by the week. How Wu handles it may matter just as much as how well he plays.