Shaun Murphy was left gutted after a tense 18-17 defeat to Wu Yize in the World Snooker Championship final at the Crucible, but the runner-up showed true class in defeat

08:34, 05 May 2026Updated 08:37, 05 May 2026

Snooker World Championship runner-up Shaun Murphy praised a ‘wonderful’ world champion moments after succumbing in a thrilling final to Wu Yize.

Murphy confessed that he had predicted the 22-year-old’s triumph well in advance. A dramatic climax at the Crucible witnessed Wu clinch victory by the narrowest of margins as proceedings in Sheffield went the distance to a 35th-frame decider. Murphy could only look on helplessly as Wu compiled a break of 85 after sinking a difficult red following a series of safety exchanges.

It represented the second consecutive year a Chinese star seized glory after Zhao Xintong became the first player from the country to claim the trophy 12 months earlier. Wu also became only the second youngster to capture the title since Stephen Hendry, having previously secured just one other ranking crown.

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With a microphone swiftly placed before him, Murphy maintained his dignity despite enduring runner-up heartbreak for a fourth occasion since his own triumph in 2005. The veteran experienced the anguish of coming up short as the encounter became only the fourth final to require a deciding frame since 1977, reports the Mirror.

“I’d like to be the first to congratulate Wu Yize and his family, and everyone around him for being a wonderful world champion,” the Magician said. “I hate being right.”

He continued: “I said sometime earlier in the season, we had a great game out in China somewhere, and I managed to win that one. I came out afterwards and said that he would be World Champion one day.

“It’s just a real shame that it was today, but I couldn’t have given it anymore, I couldn’t have tried harder.

“I played the best shots I could have played, and I didn’t get my chance. I couldn’t do any more than that.”

Wu secured a £500,000 prize and has climbed to fourth in the world rankings after his Crucible campaign.

Having moved from Lanzhou to the United Kingdom aged 16, with his father, to pursue his ambition, Wu has now reached the summit of the sport. The youngster became a crowd favourite six years after sharing a windowless flat in Sheffield as he launched his career.

“I have been trying to go for this for ages,” said Wu. “For the past few months, I have been living the same life. I am so happy that I could play well today.

“My parents are the true champions,” he added. “Since I made the decision to drop out of school, my dad has been by my side. My mum has also been going through a lot over the years. They are the source of my strength, I love them so much.”

The chairman of snooker’s governing body, Jason Ferguson believes Wu can transform the sport. “This boy is just outstanding,” he told BBC.

“I’ve known Wu for a number of years, known his father for many years and seen the struggles and the tough battles to get to this stage. You cannot believe what it means to that family to actually be in that arena holding that trophy.

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“It’s quite an incredible moment. We are seeing a changing of the tide and it has to happen. Wu is really now entering that era of becoming a great where he can go on and win and win and win.”