Wu Yize squandered a 10-7 overnight lead as Shaun Murphy won the first five frames of the afternoon to lead 12-10 in the 2026 World Snooker Championship final.
Wu, the 22-year-old Chinese prodigy trying to win his first world title, had won seven of the next 10 frames after falling 4-3 behind on Sunday as his barrage of high scoring left 2005 world champion Murphy largely stuck in his chair. However, Monday afternoon proved a different story as a suddenly collapsing Wu lost each of the four frames before the mid-session interval and the first after it..
A protester briefly interrupted play during Sunday afternoon’s session, before referee Rob Spencer restrained her, while mobile phones went off multiple times with the players down on shots, leading Spencer to have at least one audience member kicked out.
But Wu overcame those distractions and had looked to the manor born on the biggest stage, leaving 43-year-old Murphy with plenty to do for a Monday fightback, but the Englishman set about his task and quickly overturned his young opponent’s advantage.
Follow all the action from the World Championship final at the Crucible below.
Shaun Murphy 12-13 Wu Yize – WU WINS FRAME 25
Wu does what’s required to get over the line and spectacularly clears the table for a break of 60. Top stuff.
Wu Yize wins frame 25 to lead 13-12 and he’ll have a one-frame advantage heading into this evening’s session.
That’s a great recovery by Wu after losing the first five frames of the session. He wins the final three to snatch back the lead
Shaun Murphy 12-12 Wu Yize
A nice split of the reds by Wu and this has been a classy break from the Chinese star. He gets to 61 but then lets the cue ball get away from him slightly.
There’s no pot on a red, so he’s forced to play safe. He leads 61-5 with 67 still on but Murphy has a slash at a long pot, misses and Wu is straight back in. Now he’s over the line and he’s going to lead heading into tonight
Shaun Murphy 12-12 Wu Yize
Murphy pots an early red but no colour to follow and Wu then gets a chance with a nice pot of his own to start.
Great shot! On 8, Wu cuts a pink into the bottom corner pocket and sends the white screaming around the table, in and out of baulk, landing perfectly on another red. Pure class and a sign he’s feeling it again!
The break moves beyond 20 and then 30.
Shaun Murphy 12-12 Wu Yize
One frame left in this afternoon session. The players are going to head into this evening as close as they can be but there’ll be a slight psychological edge for whoever is a frame ahead, so the next 15 minutes or so will be important.
Who can get their nose in front?
Shaun Murphy 12-12 Wu Yize – WU WINS FRAME 24
Wu misses a pot when the break is on 46 but he’d already scored more than enough.
Wu Yize wins frame 24 and levels the match at 12-12.
Shaun Murphy 12-11 Wu Yize
Wu has really steadied the ship now. Get back in and looks like he’ll get over the line in this frame to level the match once more.
He’s finding the heart of the pocket with his pots once more and there’s a good tempo to his play.
Shaun Murphy 12-11 Wu Yize
Another good long pot from Wu. Hampered cueing but cuts the red into the heart of the left corner pocket. But the cue ball doesn’t run quite far enough, snookering him on his intended red so he can only add 11 to his score.
Wu is then close with a long red but it just stays out and hangs over the hole for Murphy to tap in. Both pink and black are tied up though, so all he’s left with is a safety off the baulk colours and just one point. Wu leads 27-1.
Shaun Murphy 12-11 Wu Yize
Are Wu’s wobbles behind him now? Crunches in a couple of long pots early in frame 24 as he looks to continue the momentum of the previous frame.
Can’t get position on a colour soon after though, so departs the table having made just 12.
Shaun Murphy 12-11 Wu Yize – WU WINS FRAME 23
This is much better from Wu, he’s starting to get good action on the cue ball and picking off reds and pinks.
Leaves himself a tricky cut to the left corner for frame-ball red. Great pot! He’s over the line in this frame and finally wins his first of the afternoon. It all came from Murphy’s missed cut to the right corner.
There’s not enough on for Wu to make a century but it’s a break of 64 and Wu Yize wins frame 23 to claim his first of the day and narrow the deficit to 12-11.
