Crowds cheer China's new snooker star on return from championship win

Wu Yize entered the TNT billiards club to a welcome worthy of a rock star.Loud chanting and cheering rang around the room in the western Chinese city of Xi'an.He waved modestly, wearing the expression of a shy 22-year-old not used to such sudden fame at home.But that did not dampen the enthusiasm of those who had come to get a glimpse of someone on top of the world.Earlier this week, a Chinese player won the World Snooker championship for the second year in a row, and it has captivated this country.It is not only the repeat success driving this. It is also the fairytale story of a young man who dropped out of school aged 16 to move to Sheffield, England, in pursuit of a dream to turn professional.He has now returned home as the second-youngest player ever to be crowned world champion.The BBC asked Wu what he thought of so many fans turning out to see him. He replied with a gentle smile: "It's great to feel the warmth of my homeland."