Shaun Murphy fights back to end captivating first session of World Snooker Championship final level with Wu Yize
Updated 03/05/2026 at 19:54 GMT+1
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World Snooker Championship 2026 live comments and streaming details. TNT Sports brings you frame-by-frame updates as Shaun Murphy and Wu Yize meet in the final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, with one of the great prizes in sport up for grabs.
'There was a significant bleep' - Murphy slams rest on table in annoyance after distraction
Video credit: TNT Sports
Murphy ends level after early struggles
Shaun Murphy roared back from 3-0 down against Wu Yize to level up the World Championship final after a demanding first session in Sheffield.
Wu, bidding to become the second Chinese player to lift the sport's greatest trophy after Zhao Xintong, managed to scrap his way to the opening three frames, boosted by knocks of 51 and 61.
But it was 2005 champion Murphy who found his scoring boots from that juncture as runs of 85, 98, 77 and 109 saw him move 4-3 clear with Wu restricted to only 25 points in seeing his lead wiped out.
The final frame of the session was a big one, and it was Wu who claimed it as he got in early with a superb long red and tricky black.
The International Championship winner made 65 with reds and blacks before seeing a black to right middle stay out in his maximum attempt.
It ultimately counted for nothing as Wu saw off the snooker attempts by his opponent late in the frame to ensure it is as you were before they resume the second session at 19:00 with nine more frames to come.
The first man to 18 frames on Monday will lift the title and earn a £500,000 winner's cheque.
Murphy 4-4 Wu - end of first session
Murphy 4-3 Wu (32-70)
Murphy still requiring two snookers on the colours as red and black are drained. But Wu tucks away the yellow to left middle, and that should be that folks. Wu takes out green and brown. Job done. It ends 4-4.
Murphy 4-3 Wu (24-65)
Another few series of shots which sees Shaun battle for snookers. Black over a top pocket so this could go for a while.
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'Check your phones again please' - Murphy pots red despite phone going off
Video credit: TNT Sports
Murphy 4-3 Wu (24-65)
41 the difference with 42 remaining up as Murphy takes out red from the green. Superb shot, but needs a black here with the red. And it doesn't drop. Will need snookers now.
Murphy 4-3 Wu (19-65)
Shaun fighting the good fight here. In goes black to continue visit to the table. 54 behind with a possible 59 still on board. Just safety after failing to release a red from a side rail. Wu then misses a frame-winning plant.
Murphy 4-3 Wu (0-65)
Not looking for too much more here to square us up ahead of this evening's second session. Six reds left on deck. Brilliant long red by Wu on 64. Raced down the green pocket. But he misses tricky black to right middle. And Murphy is on a red.
Murphy 4-3 Wu (0-25)
Some wonderful pots being pulled out by Wu before he wobbles a red on 24, but it drops and he continues this visit to the table.
Murphy 4-3 Wu (0-8)
Brilliant long red followed by a tough black from Wu early in this eighth frame.
Murphy 3-3 Wu (118-1)
109 from Shaun Murphy is just the job. Wu all over the show at the moment. One more frame to come in this session.
Murphy 3-3 Wu (72-1)
Shaun with his power scoring game starting to take effect. Might be a good time for Wu to get out of there to reset.
Murphy 3-3 Wu (43-1)
Murphy looked in a spot of bother at 3-0 down, but suddenly looks like he has the run of the place. Looking to get the penultimate frame of the first session won for a 4-3 advantage.
Murphy 3-3 Wu (31-1)
Wu with a really poor safety shot trying to run white into the back of the pack. Easy starter for Shaun and he is again on the move.
Murphy 3-3 Wu (9-1)
Wu losing his way a bit in this final. Has gone cold since leading 3-0. But sees white head down a pocket after slotting blue.
Murphy 2-3 Wu (90-24)
A clearance of 77 from Shaun is just the job in levelling matters up at 3-3.
Murphy 2-3 Wu (63-24)
Brave black along the top cushion to keep this break bubbling over. Back in the running then from 3-0 down.
Murphy 2-3 Wu (40-24)
Some superb shots being pieced together by Shaun as he heads for final few balls. Big chance to draw level in this title match.
Murphy 2-3 Wu (13-24)
Wu not making the most of his chance, but Murphy sees away a lovely opening red only to miss black off spot seconds later. Wu then jawing a sitter of a black seconds later.
Murphy 2-3 Wu (0-23)
Wu not nicely on a red after playing a deep screw on green. Opts to take on a double on a red, but well off the potting angle.
Murphy 2-3 Wu (0-8)
Superb long red by Wu early in this sixth frame. Brilliant effort and he is bang on the black too.
Murphy 1-3 Wu (98-0)
No century, but 98 gets the job done every day of the week. A 3-2 lead for Wu Yize, who produced a blunder early in the fifth frame and never came back to the table.
Murphy 1-3 Wu (72-0)
Chance of a century for Murphy with that smooth cue action working a treat.
Murphy 1-3 Wu (60-0)
Vintage piece of break-building in progress here from Shaun. Looks like he is heading back to within one frame of his opponent.
Murphy 1-3 Wu (43-0)
Murphy was the same age as Wu, 22, when he won his first world final with an 18-16 win over Matthew Stevens in 2005.
Murphy 1-3 Wu (22-0)
How big a contribution will that 85 in fourth frame from Murphy prove to be? He is up and running again as we speak. Tends not to need an invite to score.
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Latest: Murphy 1-3 Wu (0-0)
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'It could hardly have gone any worse' - Murphy makes error on much-talked-about break
Video credit: TNT Sports
Murphy 0-3 Wu (95-0)
A fine break of 85 from Shaun puts the fourth frame to bed in double quick time. Much more like it from Shaun.
Murphy 0-3 Wu (64-0)
The Magician on the cusp of earning his first frame of the world final.
Murphy 0-3 Wu (43-0)
Early chance then for Murphy to make some progress here. But we've been here before today. Shaun powers in a blue to the yellow bag to continue this visit to the table.
Murphy 0-3 Wu (10-0)
Big final frame of the mini-session coming up. But particularly for Shaun Murphy you would suggest. Tea will taste better with a frame on the board.
Murphy 0-2 Wu (53-79)
Murphy misses the pink, and Wu takes out pink and black for a 3-0 lead.
Murphy 0-2 Wu (53-67)
Half an hour of trying and failing to land snookers, and we are now down to the final two balls.
Murphy 0-2 Wu (48-67)
Dangerous moments for Wu as one more snooker needed. Murphy opts to pot brown. Sticks Wu in behind pink. But an easy escape off one cushion. This frame running for 35 mins.
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'There was a significant bleep' - Murphy slams rest on table in annoyance after distraction
Video credit: TNT Sports
Murphy 0-2 Wu (41-67)
Similar to the first frame here with Shaun trying to hunt down the snookers on these final few colours.
Murphy 0-2 Wu (31-67)
One snooker back by Shaun so this frame still has some mileage in it. Murphy laying a few snookers, but none of them telling so far.
Murphy 0-2 Wu (27-67)
No big winning counter from Shaun, but he is back in the frame until he sticks up a red over a top bag. Bad safety error, and suddenly Wu with chance to bury the frame. Super pot on blue. Looks like 3-0 incoming.
'It could hardly have gone any worse' - Murphy makes error on much-talked-about break
Video credit: TNT Sports
Murphy 0-2 Wu (13-61)
Wu doesn't look like a bloke who was up late trying to fend off Mark Allen in an epic semi-final. All over these balls, as a red just makes it, but misses the black thinking about the cannon.
Murphy 0-2 Wu (13-28)
Wonder what John Higgins makes of this? Murphy wasn't doing this 24 hours ago. Big chance for Wu to trouser this third straight frame.
Murphy 0-2 Wu (13-0)
Murphy heading into the pack of reds after Wu failed to slot an early long one. But he misses with the rest through the reds. Wu then with a golden chance to get his cue arm working.
Murphy 0-1 Wu (50-60)
But Wu takes out the pink to seal the deal. Shaun missed green with the rest on cusp of levelling, and was far from happy with someone in the crowd.
Murphy 0-1 Wu (50-54)
All sorts going on in this frame. Murphy can't make the telling clearance on colours. Wu then seems to be angled on the final pink. Both men with a good chance to get it won. Shaun needing both balls.
Murphy 0-1 Wu (33-33)
Shaun looking to punish the Wu miss here as he draws level in the second frame.
Murphy 0-1 Wu (0-33)
Blistering pot on a green by Wu to left middle, but he can't drain a longish red seconds later. Murphy responds with a neat red of his own.
Murphy 0-1 Wu (0-20)
Biggest game of his life, but looks like Wu is settling into the occasion nicely as a lovely blue is bagged to the green pocket.
Murphy 0-1 Wu (0-0)
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'There's the first pot' - Murphy opens final with superb long red
Video credit: TNT Sports
Murphy 0-0 Wu (50-66)
Blue is removed which makes Murphy's task nigh impossible. Wu just rolling pink over the pockets now. As is the way. But no late heroics on the colours. Wu takes the lead.
Murphy 0-0 Wu (45-66)
Shaun still hunting the snooker he needs on blue, pink and black. This all goes back to Wu missing frame-ball red.
Murphy 0-0 Wu (38-66)
Murphy with a brilliant long red and he lands on the black too. What a big chance then of an early steal for Murphy, but he can't slot the yellow. Relief for Wu as he takes out the yellow. Shaun plays for snookers.
Murphy 0-0 Wu (14-64)
Long way back for Murphy, but at least he is back at the table. 50 behind with a possible 51 still on deck.
Murphy 0-0 Wu (6-64)
This has been Wu's form in this tournament. Scoring very heavily and punishing errors, but he then misses frame-ball red. Didn't expect that.
Murphy 0-0 Wu (6-33)
Wu back among the balls here, and has a very nice chance to lay down an early marker in this showpiece match.
Murphy 0-0 Wu (6-13)
Murphy with first prod at these balls, but he misses an easy blue. Which gives Wu his first chance of the final. Only 13 though. Still warming up.
Murphy 0-0 Wu (5-0)
Early long red from Shaun before rolling Wu up behind the green. Eight frames to be played in this first session. Murphy and Wu with one win apiece in the career head-to-heads.
Wu ends Murphy title defence at Masters
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‘A Masters debut to savour’ - Wu wraps up win over Murphy
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Murphy ends Higgins hopes with comeback
Shaun Murphy twice recovered from a two-frame deficit on Saturday to beat John Higgins 17-15 and reach the World Championship final.
Murphy made consecutive centuries at the start of play, a 132 and 127, to level the scoreline at 13-13.
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'A classic battle' - Murphy wraps up win over Higgins to reach final
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Allen misses crunch black to reach final
Mark Allen said "the right man is in the final" as he paid tribute to Wu Yize on another night of extraordinary drama at the World Championship in Sheffield.
Read more here:
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'Could not write a script like this' - Allen misses match-ball black and Wu pots it to stay alive
Video credit: TNT Sports
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